Following a convincing third round win against Bethe Correia, Holly Holm looks to have shaken off her nerves and is on course to begin her title bid. But is her recent victory enough to get her there?
It’s been a difficult past year for Holm. After her momentous title-winning fight against Ronda Rousey, Holm has suffered a string of defeats. Questions have been asked of her ability to continue to deliver.
Going into the UFC Fight Night 111, Holm knew it was time to answer these questions. A slow first two rounds gave little for the Singapore crowd to get excited about. So much so referee Marc Goddard was forced to intervene, telling the competitors, “I respect the game plan, but we have to make something happen”. What Marc Goddard said seemed to inspire the women to step up and the third round finally matched the crowd’s high expectations. Overconfidently coming out of her corner, Correia looked vulnerable. Seeing an early opportunity Holm landed a powerful head kick (much like the one that defeated Rousey) and Correia was out cold. Holm is back.
Can Holm now see potential for a title challenge?
As we have seen with Holm, expectation can weigh heavy. Even if she is riding high of her recent KO, memories of recent submissions and unanimous decisions will undoubtedly be at the forefront of her mind.
In three weeks UFC 213 sees Amanda Nunes’ Bantamweight title defence against Valentina Shevchenko and just a week later, at UFC 214, Cris Justino fighting Megan Anderson for the recently vacant featherweight belt. Many will feel facing either of the winners is Holm’s shot.
Considering Holm had not won in the octagon for over a year, being considered for contention at two weights seems a stretch. Assuming Nunes retains her bantamweight belt and Justino takes the vacant Featherweight belt, Holm would have to make a decision. Fight against the power and aggressiveness of Nunes or the Endurance and explosiveness of Justino. Not to mention both Nunes and Justino are arguably in much better places both mentally and physically. Personally, I feel Holm needs more time and another win before she mounts a title bid.
Gets taunted 🤔
Head-kick 💪
Left hook 👊
@HollyHolm with a stunning finish at #UFCSingapore! 😱
If Holm is to gain some momentum and challenge for a belt, Juliana Pena has to be the intelligent choice for her next opponent. Having been on something of her own title jaunt before her loss against Shevchenko, Pena was a real threat to the, at the time, dominant Rousey. A win against Pena would do wonders for Holm.
Pena has shown she can be effective in a number of areas. Toe to toe she has good movement and can find hits at the right time. On the mat she has shown her strength and sheer determination to attack as well as defend.
Holm would do well to take on someone who can expose her weaknesses and force her to better herself. While it is true Holm is possibly the most well-versed fighter on her feet, able to dispatch people expertly at distance or close range, on the mat things can become less straightforward. As was demonstrated with her loss against Miesha Tate, once she goes down she does not always have the technique to turn things around.
A good run of training, preparing Holm for the unpredictability of Pena could be the difference. Not to mention another win can do wonders for the confidence of Holm, who will need all the help she can get.
After the dust has settled on Fight Night 111, Holm will have some big choices in front of her. Choosing correctly could be the difference between a legacy of greatness or a flash in the pan. Whichever way the next few months go for Holm and the sport, she has demonstrated her ability to draw in crowds and revenue. This will be a huge factor in how that decision is made. Hopefully she does what is best for her.
One thing that is evident is how highly both UFC and more importantly her fans regard Holm.
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