Randy Brown Remains Focused On The Ultimate Goal

That refusal to go away has resulted in a 10-year career on the biggest stage in the sport for the now 35-year-old welterweight, who was signed following a knockout win over Robert Plotkin on a Ring of Combat show in November 2015 that Dana White and the Lookin’ for a Fight crew were attending.

Brown was six fights and 18 months into his pro career: a kid from Spanish Town, Jamaica, living in Jamaica, Queens, trying to chase down a dream. Others came off that series with greater fanfare, but for the last decade, nothing has deterred Brown from continuing to press forward, undaunted.

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As he readies to begin his 11th year on the UFC roster and ahead of his 2026 debut opposite Kevin Holland at UFC 327 in Miami, the welterweight stalwart is rightfully proud of what he’s accomplished and how he continues to inspire his community.

“It means everything. It means everything,” said Brown. “I’m extremely proud that I can inspire around me. I know they’re proud of me and the things I’m able to do, and I want to continue to lead by example, continue to do what I’ve been doing… I’m not supposed to be here, but that’s not really realistic for kids and I don’t want people to think that wherever they are, that’s it for you; that you can only go so far. The cliché is ‘sky’s the limit’ and you can do anything, but it truly is. The things I was able to accomplish through fighting, through being one-track minded — and of course I’ve fallen short in front of the world at times, but these are things that make you better, and I hope the people, the young kids can see that you will fall sometimes, you will fail, but the point is your resolve from the beginning. The point is to continue to get up every time, and if you continue to do that, you will win, 100 percent.

“It’s not really a feeling to it. I don’t feel no way about it,” Brown said. “At the end of the day, it’s a fight and we’ve gotta fight. We’re gonna be fighting and we’ll see… He’s someone that speaks regardless, but I can’t put it into words; you’re just in there and you do what you do, but at the end of the day, that doesn’t mean anything. It just happens. We’ll see what happens when we get in there.

“I’m prepared for it, but at the end of the day, so what? What does that change?” he asked with a smirk. “I’m still gonna try to knock your head off.”

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Brown has started each of his last two campaigns with stellar finishes, having knocked out Muslim Salikov with a cold one-one-two combo in February 2024 before becoming the first to knock out Dalby last April. So how does he intend to kick off his 2026 campaign?

“Same thing. Same thing, hopefully,” he said, referencing those previous finishes. “Kevin is a little harder to get out of there — I’ve never seen anyone one-punch him and walk off, so that would be an accomplishment if I could.

“But I’m super-well-rounded and I’m an opportunistic animal, so whatever opportunity I have to finish the fight, that’s what I’m looking for. Whether it’s a submission — an arm, a neck, a heel, anything; I’m gonna take it, and if I can put him to sleep, I’m gonna put him to sleep.”

After opening camp with a stay in Philadelphia getting work in with Joe Pyfer, Sean Brady, and the rest of the team at Marquez MMA, Brown returned home to New York, where he brought in well-rounded former UFC welterweight Phil Rowe to serve as his main training partner.

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Rowe’s ability to mimic Holland, right down to talking trash during sparring rounds, allowed Brown to dial back earlier than he normally would and focus on the minute details. While he’s hopeful to see “The Fresh Prince” back in the Octagon at some point, for now, he was full of praise for his training partner’s efforts in preparing him for Saturday night.

“Phil Rowe was a big piece, a key piece to this camp,” began Brown, who carries a 20-7 record into Saturday’s clash with Holland. “We brought him in and he was with me daily, consistently; did everything I did and pushed me in ways I needed to be pushed. He emulated Kevin Holland perfectly to the very end, even started talking some s*** in there when we sparred; he did a wonderful job.

“He was the perfect training partner, and that’s why I was able to dial it back and just focus on the one guy. I came out here early to finish off the camp, and it was great.”

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With a strong camp behind him and his resolve as strong as ever, Brown is once again ready to stride out to the Octagon once more and restart another push for a place in the Top 15.

“The great thing about MMA is that there is wiggle room; there is room to make mistakes,” he said with a smile. “You get opportunities to come back, get other chances, so you get your opportunities to come back and make things right.”