Holly Holm, one of the greats of female combat sports, is looking for a new home to ply her trade after requesting to be released by the UFC, a wish that was granted to her according to her manager Lenny Fresquez, despite her having fights left on her contract. We take a brief look at the fighting career of Holm and contemplate what could be next for the 43 year old.
From Boxing Champion to MMA Contender
Holly Holm, AKA “The Preacher’s Daughter,” can be considered as one of the trailblazers of women’s MMA alongside the likes of Ronda Rousey and Amanda Nunes. One of the best to ever do it, she competed against the very best the UFC had to offer.
Before Holm competed in MMA, she already had a name for herself as a world-class boxer and held a record of 33 wins, 3 draws and 2 defeats. She was a world champion in three different weight classes and was named the Ring Magazine’s Fighter of the Year both in 2005 and 2006.
In 2011, Holm made the transition to MMA and began training at Jackson Wink MMA Academy, where she added grappling and wrestling to her already top-class striking skills. After amassing a 7-0 record over the next three years from fighting in various promotions, including once in Bellator, the UFC came calling, and Holm signed for the company in late 2014.
A few months later, in February 2015, she made her debut at UFC 184 in Los Angeles, California and was victorious against Raquel Pennington, winning via split decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29.) A unanimous win over Marion Reneau followed four months later, which extended Holm’s MMA record to 9-0 and set up a blockbuster clash with Ronda Rousey.
The Historic Upset: UFC 193
Holm made the transition from boxing to MMA look relatively easy, but she hadn’t faced anybody as dangerous as the Judo expert and Olympian Ronda Rousey, who held the UFC bantamweight title.
At UFC 193 on November 14, 2015, in Melbourne, Australia, Holm entered the contest as the underdog, and Rousey. Over 56,000 were in attendance and the champion was one of the biggest MMA stars of all time by this point, so Holm could be forgiven if she was feeling the pressure. She seemed unfazed, perhaps due to her extensive experience fighting the best of the best from her boxing days, and what happened next shocked the MMA world. Holm delivered a masterclass in the striking department, landing almost at will against Rousey in the first round. Then, in the second, Holm landed a picture-perfect head kick which knocked the champion out cold, an image which is still widely circulated online all these years later. The former boxing world champion was now the UFC champion, and by defeating the seemingly invincible Rousey, Holm had etched her name into the MMA history books.
Navigating Highs and Lows
After winning the bantamweight title and now holding a 10-0 MMA record, Holm’s post-championship career was more of a rollercoaster of highs and lows compared to her MMA career prior to being the champion. Her first title defense came against Miesha Tate at UFC 196 and despite being ahead on the scorecards, she was submitted via a rear-naked choke with just ninety seconds remaining in the fifth round.
There is no shame in losing against somebody like Tate, herself a legend of womens MMA. Following the fight with Tate, the level of competition remained high as Holm faced the likes of Valentina Shevchenko, Amanda Nunes, Cris Cyborg and Kayla Harrison. Accepting fights against such tough opponents showed her willingness to take on the best in the world, regardless of the stylistic matchup.
After going 3-3 (1NC) in her last seven fights with the UFC, coupled with the fact that she is in her forties, a fresh start for Holm could be exactly what the doctor ordered.
What’s next for Holm?
It’s unclear at this stage whether Holm will contnue to fight in MMA or not. It’s looking unlikely as it would be unusual for the UFC to have sanctioned her early release if she were going to fight with a competitior, such as the PFL for example. If Holm does indeed continue to fight, boxing would make the most sense. Training would be less intense on the body and she already has the skillset.
With all the influencer and crossover boxing taking place, she could find herself going down the route of Jorge Masvidal or Darren Till and boxing either a former MMA star or influencer, and in turn earning herself a big payday or two before she rides off into the sunset. Whatever she decides to do, one thing is clear: Holly Holm is a legend in combat sports.
What do you think is next for Holly Holm? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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