Holm Returns Against Vieira For UFC Main Event In May

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight champion Holly Holm is ready to get back in the octagon.

Targeted to be “The Preacher’s Daughter’s” dance partner in her return is the resurgent Brazilian, Ketlen Vieira (12-2). Per Ariel Helwani, the pivotal 135-pound contender clash will headline the UFC’s May 21 fight night event in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Holm, 40, last fought in October 2020, putting on one of her best career performances. Her dominant unanimous decision over Irene Aldana put Holm on her first winning streak since she became a UFC champion with an unblemished 10-0 record in 2015 (now 14-5).

The storyline has laid itself out perfectly for Holm to earn herself her fifth UFC title opportunity, as she was booked to face the new champion, Julianna Pena, in May 2021. The injury bug bit Holm, therefore, leading to the cancelation of their would-be matchup. As a result, it led Pena to a title shot where she stayed true to her word and dethroned Holm’s last successor in Amanda Nunes at UFC 269 in December.

Injuries continued to hamper Holm because she was also forced out of a 145-pound featherweight clash with Norma Dumont later in the year.

With Holm’s momentum slightly halted due to inactivity, her next opponent in Vieira has regained some of her own after a shortcoming to Yana Kunitskaya. The 30-year-old BJJ and Judo blackbelt appeared in her first UFC main event in October when facing another former UFC titlist in Miesha Tate where Vieira bloodied “Cupcake” to a unanimous decision.