SALT LAKE CITY – Michael Chiesa will return at UFC 291, but if he had it his way, fans would’ve seen him sooner.
In recent weeks, Chiesa’s opponent Kevin Holland called for short-notice fights left and right. But as Chiesa (16-6 MMA, 11-6 UFC) revealed Wednesday at a pre-fight news conference, Holland (24-9 MMA, 11-6 UFC) wasn’t alone. Chiesa was secretly advocating for his own opportunities behind the scenes.
“(Holland) wasn’t the only guy throwing his hat into the ring, because when Bo Nickal was looking for an opponent, I reached out to Dana and Mick and was like, ‘I’m in shape and I’ll still fight Holland,'” Chiesa told MMA Junkie and other reporters. “I just don’t really do it on social media. I just reach out to the powers that be. He wasn’t the only one who was looking for an extra check in July.”
