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Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson defeated Kevin “Trailblazer” Holland via Round 4 TKO (Corner Stoppage) on December 3, 2022, in the main event of UFC on ESPN 42 in Orlando, Florida. The bout was widely hailed as an instant classic and a “Fight of the Year” candidate due to its blistering pace, tactical striking martial arts display, and the incredible toughness of both men.
Fight Overview
Both fighters implicitly agreed beforehand to keep the match an electric stand-up battle. When the fight hit the canvas via accidental slips or brief scrambles, Holland famously showed ultimate sportsmanship by repeatedly gesturing for Thompson to stand back up rather than exploiting his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt advantage.
| Metric | Stephen Thompson | Kevin Holland |
|---|---|---|
| Total Strikes Landed | 178/278 | 123/214 |
| Significant Strikes | 163/260 | 119/210 |
| Head Strikes | 103 | 52 |
| Body Strikes | 42 | 23 |
| Leg Strikes | 18 | 44 |
| Takedowns | 0/0 | 2/6 |
Round-by-Round Breakdown
Round 1: Holland Rocks Thompson Early
Holland opened aggressively, using his 81-inch reach to press the veteran. He rocked Thompson with a massive right hand to the forehead that visibly shook “Wonderboy”. Thompson showed great recovery, relying on his signature bouncing karate blitzes to fire back. Holland landing heavy elbows and additional right hands won him the opening round on all judges’ scorecards. However, it was later revealed Holland broke several bones in his right hand during this round.
Round 2: Wonderboy Adjusts and Rallies
With Holland’s right-hand power slightly diminished due to injury, Thompson began finding his rhythm. He adjusted his distance, using blazing fast point-striking combinations down the pipe. Holland remained dangerous in the clinch, attempting creative leaping strikes and hammer fists. However, Thompson’s counter-punching precision began taking over, landing heavy left hands and shifting momentum in his favor.
Round 3: The Striking Masterclass
Thompson weaponized his legendary kicking arsenal, turning the fight into a video-game-like display. He repeatedly cracked Holland with spinning wheel kicks, hook kicks, and question-mark kicks. Holland displayed an iron chin, absorbing clean head strikes while talking trash and smiling through the damage. Thompson pin-pointed a brutal knee to the body and blitzed Holland against the fence with flurries, pulling significantly ahead in total volume.
Round 4: Total Drubbing and Stoppage
The fourth round became a one-sided clinic. Thompson targeted Holland’s midsection with vicious, thudding liver kicks that completely broke Holland’s offensive output. Holland was forced to retreat, leaning against the fence and trying to roll with the punches. Thompson didn’t let up, throwing a heavy head kick and a straight left hand that finally dropped Holland to the canvas late in the frame. Holland survived to the horn, but his right hand was entirely compromised.
The Finish
Before the final round could begin, Holland’s coach, Bob Perez, recognized his fighter was taking too much damage and could no longer effectively defend himself with his broken hand. The corner waved off the fight between rounds, awarding Stephen Thompson the stellar TKO victory.