After almost exactly 10 years in the promotion, Holly Holm has been released from her UFC contract. Standing as one of the greatest women’s fighters in combat sports history, she leaves behind a stalwart legacy as a former Women’s Bantamweight Champion, as well as a long-time top contender in the division. She departs from the company with an overall UFC record of 8-7-1 NC, coming up short in her final Octagon appearance to previous PFL lightweight queen Kayla Harrison at UFC 300 last year.
Holly Holm Was Once One of Best Female Boxers in World
Before becoming the women’s mixed martial arts icon she is today, Holm was a dominant force in the realm of boxing. Making her professional debut in 2002, “The Preacher’s Daughter” went unbeaten in her first nine bouts, amassing a record of seven wins and two draws. Although she suffered her first ever defeat in her 10th walk to the square circle, she immediately contended for the inaugural IBA Female Light Welterweight strap, which she won by unanimous decision.
For the rest of her time in boxing, Holm had staked her claim to being an all-time female great, winning 16 total world championships and racking up a astounding record of 33-2-3. In the coming years, she would be inducted into both the International Women’s Boxing and International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Holly Holm Makes Crossover to MMA After Conquering boxing
Following a highly successful run in boxing, Holly Holm made the decision to fully transition into mixed martial arts in 2013. Although she was primarily a boxer for the first 11 years of her combat sports career, she had taken a few kickboxing and MMA fights here and there, notably competing in Bellator for a one-off fight.
In her first year of fighting in her new sport, Holm had performed amazingly on the Southern United States regional scene, earning the inaugural Legacy FC Women’s Bantamweight Championship. Taking her first seven fights in a row, she was called up to the UFC in 2015, making her debut against and beating future 135-lb champion Raquel Pennington by split decision.
She then won her sophomore contest over Marion Reneau before being thrown into her first UFC championship main event opposite one of the most influential athletes in the company’s history, Ronda Rousey. By this point, Rousey was viewed as a largely invincible figure in the world of MMA, having defended her title six times. She was also a global phenomenon, being amongst the most popular athletes on the planet. No one gave Holm a chance to dethrone “Rowdy,” but, in arguably the biggest upset in UFC history, she rocked the world to its core by knocking out Rousey with an iconic head kick to win the bantamweight championship.
The victory instantly propelled Holm into superstardom, becoming a household name in the sport. A lucrative rematch against Rousey was expected for Holm’s first defense, but, unwilling to wait long for her rival to return, she accepted a bout versus Miesha Tate. The fight went all five rounds, but after being caught in a rear naked choke, Holm refused to tap and was put to sleep by Tate, dropping her newly-earned title in shocking fashion.
Long Road Toward Top Again and Perennial Top Contender Status
Eager to bounce back from the loss to Tate, Holly Holm took on surging Kyrgyzstan juggernaut Valentina Shevchenko, who handed the American her second straight set back by unanimous decision. Dropping two fights straight at bantamweight, she then opted to make a move up in weight to challenge for the inaugural UFC Women’s Featherweight Championship against Dutch kickboxing sensation Germaine de Randamie.
In what should have been an exciting clash between two of women’s MMA greats, the contest was marred with controversy after the European repeatedly struck Holm after the bell on two different occasions. Despite these egregious fouls, de Randamie was not deducted any points, leading to widespread criticism by fans, fighters, and pundits alike toward the referee.
The bout was close on the scorecards, but, in the end, it was de Randamie who got her hand raised to become the new 145-lb champion while dealing Holm her third straight loss.
This wasn’t the last time Holly Holm ever fought for a UFC title, however, as she would see two more championship opportunities, one at featherweight against Cris Cyborg and again at bantamweight opposite Amanda Nunes. She didn’t win promotional gold in either of these bouts, coming up short with Cyborg by unanimous decision and crumbling to Nunes by, ironically, a head kick.
Although she went on to claim several more stellar victories versus other top-tier women’s fighters like Pennington for a second time, Yana Santos, and Irene Aldana, Holly Holm never again reached the pinnacle of the sport. Competing on what was to be her final UFC card of her career at the blockbuster event UFC 300, she stepped up to face newly-acquired PFL standout Kayla Harrison. Being 42 years old at the time, the well-past-her-prime Holly Holm stood no chance against the younger Harrison, who blew through the former champion in just over two rounds by rear-naked choke.
Where Does Holly Holm Go From Here?
While she exits the promotion on a two-fight winless streak, Holly Holm will always be remembered as a legendary figure in the UFC. Having crossed paths with the best of her generation, she easily stands amongst the most veteran female fighters in the global leader in combat sports. Where she goes from here is uncertain. However, according to her agent per Ariel Helwani, she has several options ahead of her in the final years of her career, including a return to boxing.
Breaking:
Holly Holm has parted ways with the UFC and is now a free agent.
She had two fights left on her deal, asked to explore other opportunities and the UFC obliged.
She plans on continuing to fight and is open to MMA or boxing, her long-time agent Lenny Fresquez tells…
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 14, 2025
Wherever she decides to go, though, the world will never forget when Holly Holm made the impossible happen to become one of the best female fighters of all time.
