Kevin Holland: Khamzat Chimaev 'only does this extra wannabe street sh*t when the media is around'

Ahead of UFC 279, Kevin Holland said there's no beef with Khazmat Chimaev and he's just telling it how he sees it – and he sees a phony.

LAS VEGAS – Kevin Holland says there’s no beef with Khazmat Chimaev, despite past in-person run-ins – but he still tells it how he sees it.

“I’ve never had an issue,” Holland told reporters including MMA Junkie at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. “Nobody. Now, I’m going to tell you how I feel about anybody. ‘The dude on the left is a b*tch. The dude on the right is a b*tch. Dude in the middle, he’s definitely a b*tch.’ I don’t have a problem with anybody.

At UFC 279, Holland (23-7 MMA, 10-4 UFC) will share the main card with Chimaev (11-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC), who fights Nate Diaz in the main event. Holland fights Daniel Rodriguez two fights prior.

While Holland indicated he has no ill-will, he said his honesty is often mistaken for it. Holland thinks Chimaev is fake and acts differently when the cameras are on.

“I feel like he likes the f*cking media,” Holland said. “I feel like he only does this extra wannabe street sh*t when the media is around. Other than that, he doesn’t do it. I mean, when you guys aren’t around he wants to do fist bumps and he wants to be your best friend. When you guys are around, all of a sudden he’s like, ‘Agh, I’ll rip your f*cking head off.’ He ain’t ripping sh*t off, dog. Let’s be real. He wants a paycheck, just like the rest of these guys around here.”

The rivalry, whether perceived or real, began in 2021. Holland criticized Chimaev for how he handled a bout with COVID-19 among other things. The two welterweight fighters allegedly had a run-in in a hotel lobby thereafter and were separated.

Chimaev referenced the incident on Instagram in reply to Holland’s comments.

“Did you forget that last slap I gave you at the hotel?” Chimaev wrote. Do you want one more?!”

Call it beef or call it telling the truth. Either way, Holland is picking Chimaev to defeat Diaz on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.

“He should win, on paper,” Holland said.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 279.