Jack Della Maddalena kicking Kevin Holland (right)(image via UFC/YouTube)

By FCF Staff

Saturday’s fight between Jack Della Maddalena and Kevin Holland didn’t really deliver the fireworks that many people expected when the bout was initially announced. But, Della Maddalena isn’t about to criticize the approach he took at Noche UFC.

The welterweights fought in the card’s co-headliner, and following the fight, Della Maddalena was awarded the bout via split decision. While talking to the media afterward, the rising fighter explained why he needed to be careful when exchanging with Holland (quotes via MMA Junkie.com).

“He’s hard to read and I didn’t know what to expect going in there, so I just wanted to be defensively sound in landing shots,” Della Maddalena said. “I wanted to try to take him out into the last round, but yeah, he was hard to read.”

“… I was trying (to get a finish). I’ve got to be defensively sound. I’ve got to try to not get my head splattered across the cage. I want to be defensively sound and pick my shots. I was trying.”

Australia’s Della Maddalena (16-2) has won all six of his UFC bouts to date and is riding a 16 fight winning streak.

The American Holland (25-10), meanwhile, was coming off consecutive wins over Santiago Ponzinibbio and Michael Chiesa. The former middleweight is 2-3 in his last 5 fights.

Noche UFC took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.