UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm ascended to superstardom by knocking out Ronda Rousey at UFC 193, but she may have wound up ruining her rhythm in the process.
Commenting on her expected rematch with Rousey at UFC 200, Holm seemed concerned about her potential lengthy layoff, according to Lewis Mckeever of Bloody Elbow:
Eight months between fights is a long time. Maybe not for some, but in boxing I used to fight four times a year for title fights. I was very active. This year is three fights in a year. I still feel like it’s active. To go eight months without one, we’re not even averaging two a year at that rate. So it’s kind of like, man that’s a really long time from now.
UFC 200 is scheduled for July 9 of next year, which is nearly eight full months after Holm’s Nov. 15 shocking knockout win. Rousey told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN The Magazine: “It might be three to six months before I can eat an apple, let alone take an impact.”
Holm and her management team have tried putting public pressure on UFC President Dana White to allow her to fight a match between the two Rousey bouts. Miesha Tate, currently ranked as the top contender, has been mentioned as a potential opponent. However, White has not budged and told Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times that Holm will wait for Rousey.
Obviously, this is a business decision as much as a competitive one. It does UFC no good to put Holm in the ring against anyone who isn’t Rousey at this point. Their rematch will be among the most anticipated fights in the sport’s history. Having Holm risk potentially losing against Tate is an unnecessary risk that would completely ruin the financial bonanza that’s coming for all parties in July, which is something Holm seems to understand, per Mckeever:
I’ll embrace it if that’s the next fight. If I get a fight before then, then that’s great. I like to go with the flow. I don’t want to force anything. I don’t like anything to feel like it’s having to push. I want to feel like it’s flowing. I like to kind of go with it. Ride the wave, I guess you’d say.
Waiting on Rousey might not be the best thing for Holm’s physical readiness. But her camp should be smart here and play the waiting game; it’s going to reap massive rewards in her bank account.
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