Dana White recently revealed that one star who came through Dana White’s Contender Series has earned over $11 million in the UFC without ever competing for a championship.
“Well, I told you guys last week that this show has paid athletes that have come off it like $225 million over the last 10 years,” White said. “And one of the guys that never competed for a world title has made over $11 million. So staying active and keeping yourself out there in everybody’s face is not only good financially, but you have a very limited amount of time to make a lot of money in any sport. So staying active is the move.”
The MMA community immediately began speculating about which athlete White was referring to, and many pointed to Kevin Holland as the most likely candidate. Holland has been extraordinarily busy since joining the UFC, competing 29 times in eight years with a record of 16-12 and one no contest. He earned his way into the promotion after winning on the Contender Series in 2018.
At first, Holland seemed to deny being the athlete in question. “That athlete’s not me,” he said in an Instagram Story. “I’m just now waking up. I’ll tell you all right now, that athlete’s not me. Don’t listen to that.”
According to sources, Holland quickly changed his tune with a follow-up video that painted a much different picture of what $11 million in career earnings actually means in real life. Introducing himself as the “$11 million man,” he offered a dose of financial reality that many professional athletes face but rarely discuss publicly.
“It’s the $11 million dollar man, and I’m here to tell you one thing right now: I might’ve made $11 million, but after four kids, paying taxes, and getting divorced three times, things are messed up,” Holland stated.
While $11 million sounds like generational wealth, the reality includes substantial tax obligations, child support for multiple children, and the costs associated with three divorces. For Holland, the math works out very differently than fans might imagine.
His approach to maximizing his earning potential makes more sense in this context. Holland has built a reputation as one of the most active star on the UFC roster, and that activity is driven by both opportunity and necessity. In 2020, he tied the UFC record for most wins in a calendar year, going 5-0 between May and December alone. He has also earned ten post-bout bonuses and headlined three UFC events.
“My whole career I’ve always been pretty active,” Holland told BBC Sport. “You’re an athlete; you can’t be an athlete for 40 years. You can only be it for so long. So take advantage and wish for the best. Between super matches in jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, MMA, I’d compete seven to eight times a year. I’ve always competed a lot, never really sit on my butt too much. I’ve had so many matches I don’t remember none of them.”
Holland has been remarkably upfront about his financial motivations. After UFC London, he explained his reasoning for maintaining such a demanding schedule.
“The amount of money I make these days, I could slow down the amount of money I make these days,” he told the media. “I could definitely slow down. But the amount of money I spend these days, I stay active.”
His willingness to step up on short notice has also proven valuable. When the original UFC 279 card fell apart, Holland agreed to face Khamzat Chimaev with minimal preparation. He later claimed that bout helped him secure a more lucrative contract renewal.
The 33-year-old has maintained his busy schedule in recent years as well. He competed five times in 2025, going 2-3 with victories over Gunnar Nelson and Vicente Luque but losses to Reinier de Ridder, Daniel Rodriguez, and Mike Malott.
He was scheduled to face Jacobe Smith at UFC Oklahoma City on July 18 but withdrew due to an undisclosed injury and has not yet been assigned a new opponent or return date.
