Adding to an already hectic day of UFC news, Dana White gave fans even more to talk about as he announced that the UFC had finally signed hotshot striker Holly Holm to its women’s bantamweight division. The UFC president announced the news on Twitter:
Welcome to the UFC @_HOLLYHOLM pic.twitter.com/BxNVy8SYTR
— Dana White (@danawhite) July 10, 2014
Holm‘s management team and the UFC have been in talks for months now, with negotiations getting heated on several occasions, in particular last year when Dana White questioned Holm‘s legitimacy as a top fighter while needling her handlers. In the months since, White has swung from being completely disinterested in her to regarding her joining the promotion as an inevitability. Obviously, the wild ride culminated in the former boxer joining the UFC.
In her most recent fight, Holm battled back from an injury to score an electrifying fifth-round head-kick knockout over Juliana Werner in a women’s bantamweight title fight at Legacy Fighting Championship 30. She also once competed in Bellator, defeating Katie Merrill via second-round knockout.
Holm has long been regarded as one of the best female fighters at 135 pounds. She owns a perfect 7-0 record in MMA, with six of her wins coming by knockout. Additionally, she owns a professional boxing record of 33-2-3 and is a champion in the WBF, IBA, WIBA and WBAN.
Her striking prowess has long made her one of the few potential challenges for current UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, who has cruised effortlessly to a 10-0 MMA record, including eight wins in the UFC and Strikeforce.
It is not yet known when Holm will debut in the UFC or who her first opponent may be. Stick with Bleacher Report for more details as they become available.
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