Holly Holm: 'There's a reason' I keep getting UFC title shots, and another could come
By Mike Bohn | June 17, 2020 7:00 pm
Holly Holm hasn’t given up on her quest to regain UFC gold, and she’s confident beating Irene Aldana in their upcoming headliner could set up another title shot. Holm (13-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC) has been caught up in some backlash for the number of championship opportunities she’s received since losing the women’s bantamweight title in March 2016 after winning it with an all-time knockout of Ronda Rousey at UFC 193. She’s fought in three title bouts across two divisions, with her most recent chance being a first-round TKO loss to Amanda Nunes in July 2019 at UFC 239.
She’s since rebounded with a unanimous decision win over Raquel Pennington at UFC 246 in January, and now Holm, No. 7 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie women’s bantamweight rankings, is set to fight No. 5 Aldana in a main event spot Aug. 1 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. If she can win that, Holm said she “could definitely be next in line for the belt,” despite what critics might think.
“I’ve fallen short of getting that title back more than once, and it’s frustrating, but I know I keep fighting the very top-ranked girls, so I’m constantly right there,” Holm told MMA Junkie. “I’m still aching for it. I still want it. That’s a lot to say. Some people say, ‘Oh, I want the belt’ then they don’t really think about it. I know exactly how much work that takes to get there, and I know it took a big commitment.
“You’ve got to win fights along the way and when it comes, I can’t let the opportunity slip through my fingers again. Obviously it’s right there. I know people say, ‘Oh, she’s had plenty of title fights.’ There’s a reason: Because I keep fighting the best, and I keep staying right there. A lot of times I’m just one fight away. No matter what, I have Irene Aldana in front of me.”
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvEvjuAWhsE
Holm’s original title run was relatively brief. She shocked the world and knocked out Rousey in November 2015, then turned around four months later and succumbed to a stunning comeback-from-behind submission to Miesha Tate to drop the title. The chances to get it back haven’t gone her way, but that title was precious to Holm in the time she had it, and she won’t stop trying to climb back to the top.
Although there are plenty of perks that come with being a UFC champion, such as greater pay and notoriety, Holm said her reasons are purely selfish.
“It’s just knowing I’m No. 1,” Holm said. “It’s not necessarily the recognition to other people; it’s not trying to prove other people wrong. I worked so hard that I want to beat the best so that I can be the best. That’s it. When you have the belt on you, that means you beat the best, and that’s what I want. I want to be No. 1.”
https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/06/amanda-nunes-considers-retirement-after-ufc-250
If Holm wants to be in that title spot anytime soon, then winning against Aldana is a must. It won’t be easy, especially with the Mexican boxing stylist coming off a vicious knockout of the previously unbeaten Ketlen Vieira at UFC 245 in December.
“My goal is just to be clearer, stronger, sharper, and more well rounded,” Holm said. “I want to do all of that. I know she’s coming. She’s got a lot of movement; she’s got long punches and long arms. She’s one of the taller bantamweights. Every fighter brings their own strengths, and my job is just to be better at any of those things, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”
By Mike Bohn | June 17, 2020 7:00 pm
Holly Holm hasn’t given up on her quest to regain UFC gold, and she’s confident beating Irene Aldana in their upcoming headliner could set up another title shot. Holm (13-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC) has been caught up in some backlash for the number of championship opportunities she’s received since losing the women’s bantamweight title in March 2016 after winning it with an all-time knockout of Ronda Rousey at UFC 193. She’s fought in three title bouts across two divisions, with her most recent chance being a first-round TKO loss to Amanda Nunes in July 2019 at UFC 239.
She’s since rebounded with a unanimous decision win over Raquel Pennington at UFC 246 in January, and now Holm, No. 7 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie women’s bantamweight rankings, is set to fight No. 5 Aldana in a main event spot Aug. 1 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. If she can win that, Holm said she “could definitely be next in line for the belt,” despite what critics might think.
“I’ve fallen short of getting that title back more than once, and it’s frustrating, but I know I keep fighting the very top-ranked girls, so I’m constantly right there,” Holm told MMA Junkie. “I’m still aching for it. I still want it. That’s a lot to say. Some people say, ‘Oh, I want the belt’ then they don’t really think about it. I know exactly how much work that takes to get there, and I know it took a big commitment.
“You’ve got to win fights along the way and when it comes, I can’t let the opportunity slip through my fingers again. Obviously it’s right there. I know people say, ‘Oh, she’s had plenty of title fights.’ There’s a reason: Because I keep fighting the best, and I keep staying right there. A lot of times I’m just one fight away. No matter what, I have Irene Aldana in front of me.”
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvEvjuAWhsE
Holm’s original title run was relatively brief. She shocked the world and knocked out Rousey in November 2015, then turned around four months later and succumbed to a stunning comeback-from-behind submission to Miesha Tate to drop the title. The chances to get it back haven’t gone her way, but that title was precious to Holm in the time she had it, and she won’t stop trying to climb back to the top.
Although there are plenty of perks that come with being a UFC champion, such as greater pay and notoriety, Holm said her reasons are purely selfish.
“It’s just knowing I’m No. 1,” Holm said. “It’s not necessarily the recognition to other people; it’s not trying to prove other people wrong. I worked so hard that I want to beat the best so that I can be the best. That’s it. When you have the belt on you, that means you beat the best, and that’s what I want. I want to be No. 1.”
https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/06/amanda-nunes-considers-retirement-after-ufc-250
If Holm wants to be in that title spot anytime soon, then winning against Aldana is a must. It won’t be easy, especially with the Mexican boxing stylist coming off a vicious knockout of the previously unbeaten Ketlen Vieira at UFC 245 in December.
“My goal is just to be clearer, stronger, sharper, and more well rounded,” Holm said. “I want to do all of that. I know she’s coming. She’s got a lot of movement; she’s got long punches and long arms. She’s one of the taller bantamweights. Every fighter brings their own strengths, and my job is just to be better at any of those things, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”
