Coach: De Randamie, Tate, and Ladd Turned Down Holly Holm At 135 Pounds

Holly Holm has had her share of struggles landing a fight according to Coach Mike Winkeljohn.

Holly Holm is currently on the sidelines nursing a knee injury. Before the injury, she did have a fight lined up. Holm was scheduled to face Norma Dumont in the main event of UFC Vegas 40 that took place this last Saturday.

Holm is the former bantamweight champion and although she has fought at 145 pounds before, the reason she took the fight with Dumont at featherweight was out of necessity. Her coach Mike Winkeljohn explained that it is difficult to find bantamweight opponents for Holm.

“The reason why Holly took the [fights] at 145 is nobody wants to fight her, honestly, behind the scenes, and some people have said it publicly,” Winkeljohn said to MMAFighting. “You’re talking about, No. 1, you’re talking about Germaine. Germaine said, ‘I will never fight Holly again.’ I don’t know, she said something about her life being threatened after the last fight or something, but whatever. She doesn’t want to fight Holly; Holly scared the scrap out of her … and she’s ranked No. 1. Aspen Ladd turned her down. No. 4, I think, is Aldana – Holly smoked Aldana in Abu Dhabi.”

One fight that many fans would love to see would be a rematch of the 2016 title fight where Miesha Tate dethroned Holm. Now that Tate is back to fighting, many thought that fight would be set up sooner or later. According to Winkeljohn, Tate is not interested.

“We tried,” he said. “Miesha said no. … I’m surprised. She’s ranked No. 8 or something like that, Holly’s No. 2 and No. 1 doesn’t want to fight her. Why is she so worried about the belt at the moment. She has a ways to go. I’d love for Holly to fight for the title and then fight Miesha later. But Holly just wants to fight.”

Holm and Tate are two of the most popular on the UFC roster and especially in the bantamweight division. Both want the belt and if either one gets it they can bet to face the other shortly after. In the meantime, Tate is setting up fights left and right while Holm has been battling injuries and illness for the last year. Her last appearance in the Octagon was in Oct. 2020 when she defeated Irene Aldana.

Do you think Miesha Tate should fight Holly Holm again?

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