Although her rematch with former Strikeforce champ Miesha Tate is just over a week away, UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is already scouting the division for who’s next.
In an interview with Fight Hub TV, “Rowdy” explains that there are a number of competent title challengers waiting in the wings, including Cat Zingano, Sara McMann and Alexis Davis.
However, the potential opponent that seemed to pique her interest the most is fellow undefeated fighter Holly Holm, who has compiled a 6-0 record on the regional scene after a stellar boxing career.
“I’d love to fight Holly Holm; I would absolutely love to fight Holly Holm. I really hope that the UFC picks her up and that I get to fight her before I retire,” Rousey stated.
While Holm is still relatively new to the sport of MMA, she only has one less professional fight than Rousey and has racked up four victories this year, three of which came in the form of a blistering knockout.
However, it appears that the 32-year-old striker wants to play hard ball before she steps inside the Octagon, asking for six figures to compete in a title bout right off the bat, per Sherdog.
Rousey, who also just told MMA Junkie she plans to retire undefeated, is 7-0 inside the cage, stopping all of her opponents with her patented armbar in the first round.
The former Olympic bronze medalist netted the same result in her March 2012 encounter with Tate, though “Cupcake” came out swinging and put Rousey in some tough sports early in the fight.
Rousey and Tate potentially settle their score at UFC 168, set for December 28 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., with the championship bout serving at the event’s co-headliner.
Will fight fans see Rousey vs. Holm in the foreseeable future, or will Tate shock the world and make it so no one has any interest in that fight after next week?
John Heinis is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA Editor for eDraft.com.
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