The UFC schedule for July 18 has taken another hit, with Kevin Holland removed from his planned fight against Jacobe Smith on the UFC Oklahoma City main card. Holland, a veteran welterweight contender, had been matched with the undefeated prospect in a bout that was set to add intrigue to the event, but he has now withdrawn before next Saturday night.
That is a meaningful change for a card headlined by Dricus du Plessis and Kamaru Usman, with Usman returning to 185 pounds for the main event. Holland’s exit leaves the UFC with a late repair job to do, and it also raises the obvious question of whether Jacobe Smith will stay on the card with a new opponent.
A late change to the UFC schedule
Holland’s most recent UFC appearance ended in a unanimous decision win over Randy Brown, so this was not a case of a fighter disappearing after a defeat. Even so, the timing is awkward for the promotion, because the July 18 card is now just over a week away and the bout was due to sit on the main card in Oklahoma City.
When a fight is pulled this close to the event, it can alter more than just one matchup. It affects the shape of the broadcast, the rhythm of the card and the opportunities for both fighters involved. For Holland, the withdrawal ends a scheduled assignment that had been set to test him against an unbeaten opponent. For Smith, it leaves uncertainty around whether he will still compete on the same night.
What happens next for Jacobe Smith?
Smith’s profile made the bout interesting well beyond the matchup itself. The undefeated prospect previously wrestled at Oklahoma State, which gave the Oklahoma City card a strong local angle. That kind of detail often matters on fight week, especially when a home-state connection is involved.
Now the main issue is simple: will Jacobe Smith remain on the UFC schedule with a replacement opponent, or will the fight be reshaped again? At this stage, that remains unresolved. What is clear is that Holland’s withdrawal has changed the look of the July 18 card, and it has done so with very little time left to spare.
With the event approaching fast, the UFC will need to decide whether Smith gets a new opponent or whether the bout disappears from the lineup altogether. Either way, the Oklahoma City card is already being forced to adapt.
