Daniel Cormier has shed light on ‘what really happened’ in Stephen Thompson’s stoppage win over Kevin Holland.
It was just last Saturday, December 3rd, in the UFC welterweight main event in Orlando, Florida that Stephen Thompson (17-6 MMA) defeated Kevin Holland (23-9 MMA) via TKO. Holland was compromised from the first round after suffering a broken hand according to his team.
Kevin Holland’s coach, Bob Perez, is being credited for stopping the match so his fighter wouldn’t take any more damage from Thompson.
However, current UFC commentator Daniel Cormier has his own take on the stoppage and does not believe the decision was made by Bob Perez.
During an episode of ESPN’s ‘MMA’s DC & RC Show’, Daniel Cormier weighed in on ‘what really happened’ concerning the fight stoppage on December 3rd (h/t MMANews):
“I gotta say this, though, and I don’t know how this is getting lost in the whole stoppage of the fight. Michael Bisping said something in round three, he goes, ‘Yes, it’s fun, but that was the first time I saw Kevin Holland look as though he had doubt across his mind in regards to the matchup.’ … Bob Perez ultimately did go and tell the official that the fight was off. But, Ryan (Clark), that decision was not made by Bob Perez. Kevin Holland made that decision.”
Continuing the 43-year-old Cormier said:
“When he went to the corner after the fourth round, his coaches came in to corner him and coach him… he said, ‘I can’t,’ and he said, ‘Take the glove off me.’ Kevin Holland made that decision. That was him, at least to my eyes, saying, ‘I’m losing this fight, hand’s broken; I’m gonna live to fight another day.’ It sounds better when they say the coach threw in the towel. The reality is, the fighter made a decision. The coaches work for the fighter, and I don’t know why anyone has not isolated that audio… shed some light on what really happened.”
Do you agree with Daniel Cormier that ultimately it was Kevin Holland who made the decision to not continue with the fight?
Share your thoughts in the comment section PENN Nation!
