A high-profile middleweight tilt between 2020 breakout Kevin Holland and Derek Brunson will headline UFC Fight Night on March 20, sources told ESPN.
Contracts have not yet been signed, but both sides have agreed to the five-round headliner. The UFC has not yet announced a location for the event.
Holland (21-5) is coming off a sensational knockout of former Strikeforce champion Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza at UFC 256 on Dec. 12. The 28-year-old became the first middleweight in UFC history to record five victories in a single calendar year in 2020. He recorded finishes in all but one of the five wins. He also called out Brunson, following his most recent win.
Brunson (21-7) has been a staple of the UFC’s middleweight rankings for years and is currently riding a three-fight win streak. His last loss came at the hands of current champion Israel Adesanya, in November 2018.
The 185-pound division is in a unique spot entering 2021, as Adesanya is expected to move up in weight to challenge Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight championship in his next bout. Adesanya will retain his middleweight title as he moves up in weight, for the time being.