UFC on FOX 20: Holly Holm says she needs to believe in herself a bit more after loss to Valentina Shevchenko

Holly Holm has never had a problem with confidence.

But after suffering her second consecutive defeat at the hands of Valentina Shevchenko at UFC on FOX 20 in Chicago, Illinois (see it again here), she admits she needs to start believing in herself a tad bit more.

As she declared during the post-fight presser, Holm knows she been holding back, and vows to be looser and pull the trigger more moving forward.

Her words via MMA Junkie.

“(I have to) just get back in there and go forward. I know I’m capable of more. I think I just need to believe in myself a little more. I know I can do more than what I performed like tonight. Valentina is really tough. We know that. We knew everything – counter-punching, clinch, trips, all that … it’s not like I haven’t been taught the right things. It all comes down to my performance, and it wasn’t great tonight.”

She continues:

“I believe in myself. But I think that I need to believe in what I’ve learned, even recently, and not be so hesitant with what’s coming at me. I think in my last fight (against Tate), I was hesitant and thinking, ‘I’m fighting a wrestler, I need to watch out for the takedowns.’ Well guess what? I’ve learned a lot, and I know a lot in these areas, as well. I do believe in myself. I always believe in myself, otherwise I wouldn’t get in there. I believe I can do it. I think I just need to know that I’m learning and I need to perform with it. It’s there. The tools are there. I just need to do the right things.”

Holly had no issues pulling the trigger against Ronda Rousey, knocking out the former champion to claim the 135-pound strap at UFC 193 last year. But since then, “The Preacher’s Daughter” admits she could be doing more during her fights.

In her first-ever title defense against Miesha Tate at UFC 196 earlier this year, Holm was on her way to winning a decision thanks to a calculated attack before succumbing to a rear-naked choke in the fifth and final round.

With back-to-back losses on her resume, expect a much more aggressive Holm moving forward. But will it be enough to get her back on the winning track?

For complete UFC on FOX 20 results, including play-by-play updates, click here.

Holly Holm has never had a problem with confidence.

But after suffering her second consecutive defeat at the hands of Valentina Shevchenko at UFC on FOX 20 in Chicago, Illinois (see it again here), she admits she needs to start believing in herself a tad bit more.

As she declared during the post-fight presser, Holm knows she been holding back, and vows to be looser and pull the trigger more moving forward.

Her words via MMA Junkie.

“(I have to) just get back in there and go forward. I know I’m capable of more. I think I just need to believe in myself a little more. I know I can do more than what I performed like tonight. Valentina is really tough. We know that. We knew everything – counter-punching, clinch, trips, all that … it’s not like I haven’t been taught the right things. It all comes down to my performance, and it wasn’t great tonight.”

She continues:

“I believe in myself. But I think that I need to believe in what I’ve learned, even recently, and not be so hesitant with what’s coming at me. I think in my last fight (against Tate), I was hesitant and thinking, ‘I’m fighting a wrestler, I need to watch out for the takedowns.’ Well guess what? I’ve learned a lot, and I know a lot in these areas, as well. I do believe in myself. I always believe in myself, otherwise I wouldn’t get in there. I believe I can do it. I think I just need to know that I’m learning and I need to perform with it. It’s there. The tools are there. I just need to do the right things.”

Holly had no issues pulling the trigger against Ronda Rousey, knocking out the former champion to claim the 135-pound strap at UFC 193 last year. But since then, “The Preacher’s Daughter” admits she could be doing more during her fights.

In her first-ever title defense against Miesha Tate at UFC 196 earlier this year, Holm was on her way to winning a decision thanks to a calculated attack before succumbing to a rear-naked choke in the fifth and final round.

With back-to-back losses on her resume, expect a much more aggressive Holm moving forward. But will it be enough to get her back on the winning track?

For complete UFC on FOX 20 results, including play-by-play updates, click here.