Athletes
Gunnar Nelson | Back Like He Never Left
After A Two-Year Layoff, Gunnar Nelson Returns To The Octagon This Saturday To Face Kevin Holland At UFC London
UFC welterweight Gunnar Nelson might as well consider The O2 Arena his second home as he heads into his fourth UFC fight week in London in his last five outings. This Saturday, the Iceland native will compete in London for the ninth time when he collides with Kevin Holland at UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs Brady.
The 36-year-old has won seven of eight fights in London thus far, with the first dating back to 2007 on the regional scene just five fights into his professional mixed martial arts career.
Full UFC London Fight Card Preview
“I can’t remember how it is to fight anywhere else,” Nelson told UFC.com on Wednesday.
While English fans are so accustomed to seeing Nelson compete whenever UFC returns to London, it’s been two years since any of his fans around the world have had the chance to watch him in action. While many fighters prefer to stay active, with only serious injuries holding them back from fighting, Nelson hasn’t rushed back to the Octagon. As a coach at Mjölnir, he enjoys spending longer periods of time teaching and learning from his students.
“The time off always gives you time to work on some new things and to get your game to the next level,” Nelson said. “It can be hard to improve when you’re staying really busy and you’re always in the shark tank. I coach quite a bit, so when you coach, you get a chance to go deeper into a lot of the techniques and situations and stuff, which I find improves my game quite a bit.
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“The game is evolving, and you can learn something from everybody. Whether they’re a beginner or they come from a completely different direction from you, it often helps. And even though their style is completely different you can pick up some stuff. I feel like I have a good mind for picking up stuff that I can use, and I’m skeptical, so I’m good at picking the stuff that works for me.”
Since accepting to fight UFC fan favorite Holland, Nelson has spent more time evolving his striking and wrestling. While he’s earned his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Renzo Gracie and would probably feel comfortable in grappling exchanges against almost anyone in the promotion, he’s wanted to shift away from a purely grapple-first mindset. Rather than immediately searching for the next position or thinking about what submission to attack, Nelson has been focused on developing his ground-and-pound to ensure he’s inflicting maximum damage once he gets his opponent to the mat.
Holland, who has submitted four UFC opponents and even knocked out Jacare Souza from his back, is another fighter who can showcase versatility on the mat, making their matchup on Saturday all the more interesting.
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“I was excited, I like Kevin,” Nelson said. “He’s a fun fighter; I’ve watched a lot of his fights. He’s exciting, he’s got a fun energy, and he’s a popular fighter, too, so I’m glad.
“I think it’s a fun [stylistic matchup]. Our body types are very different. He’s tall, lanky. He’s a Kung-fu fighter. I think it’s going to be a really fun match. I’m excited for the energy that’s going to be in the Octagon.”
UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs Brady took place live from O2 Arena in London, England on March 22, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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