Paul Felder 'Irritated' By Kevin Holland's Post-UFC 291 Remarks: 'Not Your Freakin' Place To Talk About Such Things'

One of the standout performers at this past weekend's pay-per-view event was Kevin Holland, who secured a ranking at welterweight for the first time since moving down in weight early last year.

Having previously fallen short against Khamzat Chimaev and Stephen Thompson, "Trailblazer" thrived against longtime contender Michael Chiesa, becoming the latest to submit "Maverick" via D'Arce choke in the UFC 291 main card opener.

With that, Holland now occupies the #12 spot at 170 pounds. But post-fight, it wasn't just his position in the division and sport that "Big Mouth" was assessing.

Both in the cage with Chiesa and during backstage interviews, the perennial entertainer called for his defeated opponent to hang it up and focus on his blossoming career as an analyst.

That, one former fighter says, crossed a line.

Felder: Holland Should Have 'Stayed Away' From Addressing Chiesa's Future

Reacting to Saturday's pay-per-view event with Chiesa himself on a recent episode of UFC Round-Up, ex-lightweight contender Paul Felder provided his thoughts on Holland's vocal take on his co-host's future.

"The Irish Dragon" expressed annoyance at the now-ranked welterweight's decision to assess another fighter's career, insisting that it was 'not his place' to do so. With that in mind, Felder believes that Holland should have focused on his own next step.

"As far as the haters and Kevin Holland, listen, I saw what he said and that irritated me," Felder said. "I like Kevin Holland, but that was one of the few things where I'm like, 'Man, that's not your freakin' place to talk about such things.' You got a W, you leave it at that. That's not your business what a fighter should or shouldn't do after a loss. Stay away from that. Focus on what you're going to do next in the division."

Regardless, Holland's words don't appear to have influenced Chiesa's feeling, with "Maverick" vowing to bounce back stronger in a social media post following his UFC 291 setback.

It remains to be seen whether Chiesa will prove "Trailblazer" right or wrong when he makes his way back to the cage in pursuit of a first victory since January 2021.