Kevin Holland, the UFC’s resident “Big Mouth” and Texas transplant, has a message for the Lone Star State: legalize marijuana, or don’t expect to see him fighting there anytime soon. Kevin Holland isn’t just throwing punches – he’s throwing down an ultimatum. The choice is simple: let him light up, or he’ll keep fighting, and winning, anywhere but home.
Kevin Holland to Texas: Legalize Weed If You Want Me in the Octagon
The UFC welterweight contender, who’s as famous for his rapid-fire trash talk as he is for his willingness to scrap on a moment’s notice, recently put it bluntly: “Until Texas figures out their legalization of marijuana, it’s kind of hard for me to fight there. They don’t want you to smoke a whole month out from the fight, and that’s just difficult. I still have a life to live, so I got to smoke my weed.”
Kevin Holland’s not just blowing smoke, he’s dead serious about his stance, even if he delivers it with a wink and a smile. Holland’s loyalty to Texas is undeniable. He’s quick to shout out his roots in California, but he claims Texas as home, splitting his time between Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston. “It’s great to have love in the DFW. I feel like I represent Texas pretty well, not just the DFW because I’m always in Houston as well. Never going to take anything away from being a California boy, but I’m for sure a Texas man.”
Still, Texas’ marijuana policy is a sticking point. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation enforces a zero-tolerance policy for THC, punishing athletes who test above 50 ng/ml, regardless of whether the UFC itself has relaxed its cannabis rules. For fighters like Holland, who see cannabis as a part of daily life, that’s a deal-breaker.
This isn’t just a Holland problem. The UFC, since 2021, has stopped penalizing fighters for marijuana use unless there’s evidence of in-competition impairment. But state commissions like Texas haven’t caught up, and that means fighters have to choose between their habits and their paychecks. Nate Diaz ran into the same buzzkill before his boxing match in Dallas, joking about moving the fight to a friendlier state after his marijuana exemption was denied. Even UFC commentator Joe Rogan has roasted Texas’ “backward” cannabis laws, pointing out the hypocrisy of banning weed while alcohol flows freely.
Meanwhile, Kevin Holland’s not letting Texas’ rules slow him down anywhere else. The 32-year-old has become one of the UFC’s most entertaining and active fighters, bouncing between welterweight and middleweight, and fighting anyone, anywhere, anytime. Since debuting in 2018, Holland has racked up 27 wins, 13 losses, and a reputation for finishing fights – 13 by knockout and four by submission. He famously won five UFC bouts in seven months, a stretch that saw him KO future contender Anthony Hernandez in under a minute.
This weekend, Kevin Holland’s back in action at UFC 316 in Newark, New Jersey, facing Vicente Luque on the main card. It’s his third fight of 2025, coming off a rebound win over Gunnar Nelson in March after a tough submission loss to Reinier de Ridder in January. The stakes are high: Holland is the betting favorite, but Luque’s wrestling could pose problems for the lanky Texan, who’s struggled with takedown defense in the past. Still, Holland’s height, reach, and unpredictable style make him a threat to anyone who stands across from him.
So, Texas, the ball’s in your court. If you want your adopted son to put on a show in front of the home crowd, it might be time to update those cannabis laws. Until then, Holland will keep fighting, and lighting up, everywhere else.
