Holly Holm praises Amanda Nunes following retirement, expects to fight for vacant title with UFC on ESPN 49 win

LAS VEGAS – Holly Holm wanted to avenge her loss to Amanda Nunes, but she’s also happy to see an all-time great walk away from the sport on her own terms.

Holm and Nunes fought each other in July 2019 for the UFC women’s bantamweight title. Nunes entered the fight as champion and left with that same status, as he knocked out Holm with a head kick in the first round of their contest.

Since, Holm has been wanting to get the belt back and avenge that defeat in the process. That’s no longer a possibility given Nunes’ retirement last month at UFC 289, and that’s OK with Holm.

“I wish Amanda nothing but the best in her retirement,” Holm told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 49 media day. “She’s a champion that never dodged anybody and fought everyone that challenged her. Not a lot of people can sit there and say, ‘Yeah, I took on everyone.’ She fought everyone.

“I always wanted to avenge that loss and rematch her and fight her for the belt, and that’s not going to happen anymore. I always felt like I was one fight away from the belt anyway. So my goal is still the belt regardless. If she wants to come out of retirement, maybe that can happen. Not every fighter stays retired, right? But I do feel like I’m one fight away from the title regardless.”

Holm (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) returns to the cage this Saturday in the main event of UFC on ESPN 49. She takes on Brazil’s Mayra Bueno Silva (10-2-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC) in a key top contender bout at the UFC Apex, which airs on ESPN.

With the title now vacant, Holm, 41, is confident she should be involved in that title fight if victorious on Saturday – regardless of the standing of Julianna Peña and Raquel Pennington.

“I don’t see why I wouldn’t (fight for the belt), we’re No. 1, 2 and 3,” Holm said. “I’ve already had this fight scheduled before a lot of the shake up in the division, but my focus is still on Saturday night because that’s all I’m promised right now because I need to get past that. My focus needs to be present that night and see where we go from there.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 49.