Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm is recovering from surgery but expects to be back in the octagon early next year.
Holm last fought on May 21, losing a split decision to Ketlen Vieira in the UFC Vegas 55 main event. The next time ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ steps inside the cage, it will be the final fight on her current UFC contract. In her return, she’d like to face fellow former champion Miesha Tate.
“I’m open and ready to fight anyone, but it would come full circle with Miesha,” Holm recently told ESPN. “I know she went down in weight in her last fight and I don’t know what her thoughts would be on coming back up, but if that’s a fight I could get back and avenge a loss, I’d love to. It’s not the only thing I’m looking at, but it’s at the top of the list.”
Holm admitted that the loss to Vieira weakened her negotiating power heading into the final fight of her contract, but is simply focused on getting back to 100-percent healthy.
“I felt I won that fight (against Vieira), and that would have changed a lot of where things stand right now,” Holm said. “Going into the last fight on your contract off a loss is a lot different than going in off a win, so there’s some stuff going on with that. It can be harder to stand your ground.
“I think my biggest thing is wanting to get 100 percent healthy and having a performance that stands out from everyone else, so I can show that I still deserve the position I’m in and that I still have a lot to offer.”
Holm is currently ranked No. 3 in the women’s bantamweight division. Tate pulled off a come-from-behind win when she and Holm met at UFC 196 in March 2016. It was Holm’s first title defense after knocking out Ronda Rousey to win the belt.
Holly Holm wants to avenge loss to Miesha Tate, expects early 2023 return
