Holly Holm, the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion, has officially parted ways with the promotion, opening the door to new possibilities in her combat sports career. Despite a legendary run in the UFC, Holm explained during an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s show that she’s not finished with fighting just yet and is ready to explore new opportunities.
What’s Next for Holly Holm?
“It’s been already, my gosh, eight months since my last fight, or something like that, seven or eight months. And I know that I’m not going to fight forever but I still want a couple of more,” Holm said, reflecting on her hiatus from the cage.
Holm’s UFC career was marked by both triumphs and setbacks. She made her mark with a shocking upset win over Ronda Rousey to claim the UFC bantamweight title in 2015. However, Holm’s journey since then has been a rollercoaster, with tough losses, including her first shot at the featherweight title against Germaine de Randamie, and a second loss in a title fight against Cris Cyborg. Her most recent shot at the bantamweight belt was at UFC 239 in 2019, where she was stopped by Amanda Nunes in the first round. Holm last fought in the UFC at UFC 300, where she lost by rear-naked choke to Kayla Harrison.
Although she had two fights remaining on her UFC contract, Holm felt it was time to make a move.
“I did have two fights left on the contract, but it’s not always promised. I didn’t want to wait around forever either, so I wanted to see what other options there are,” she revealed.
Her departure doesn’t come with any hard feelings. Holm expressed nothing but gratitude for her UFC journey. “There’s no negative thoughts. There’s no hate or anything like that. I’m super thankful for my entire journey with the UFC and all the opportunities that they’ve given me and being able to fight for a title. I’m super thankful for the journey and I’m not done,” Holm said, reassuring fans that her story in combat sports is far from over.
Could Boxing Be the Next Step?
Holm’s legendary boxing career is another major chapter in her combat sports journey, and she hasn’t ruled out a return to the ring.
“Maybe I go to boxing,” she teased, sparking curiosity about whether she might reclaim her spot in the boxing world.
“I know I still have a couple of fights left in me and I want to see what doors open up,” she said, leaving her options wide open.
Whether it’s boxing, another promotion, or something else entirely, Holm is ready to keep fighting. “I’m just leaving my options open,” she concluded.
While her time with the UFC may be over, Holm’s fighting spirit remains as strong as ever, and fans will be eagerly watching to see where she steps next in her career.
