Kevin Holland dominates Michael Chiesa in submission win at UFC ...

From staff reports

SALT LAKE CITY – Michael Chiesa’s career is at a crossroads.

The 35-year-old Spokane Valley native absorbed his third consecutive defeat Saturday night, losing to Kevin Holland in a welterweight bout at UFC 291 at the Delta Center.

Chiesa (18-7) and Holland (24-9) comprised the first fight on the pay-per-view’s main card. Holland used his 51/2-inch reach advantage to batter Chiesa with punches early. Chiesa, after taking two standing knees to the head, attempted a takedown but ended up exposed on the mat. Holland employed a D’Arce choke, resulting in a quick tap at 2 minutes, 39 seconds of the first round.

Chiesa entered the night ranked 12th in the welterweight division but an underdog against the unranked Holland. He hasn’t won a fight in the octagon since outlasting Neil Magny in a five-round slugfest in January 2021. A back injury sidelined Chiesa in 2022, and a scheduled match at UFC 287 on April 8 fell through when his opponent, Jingliang Li, withdrew with an injury.

Now in his mid-30s and presumably far away from competing for a championship, Chiesa faces a difficult road back to title relevance at 170 pounds.

If he does choose to continue his career at welterweight, he’ll have one less fighter to worry about. Holland, 30, announced his intention to return to 185 pounds after the fight.