LAS VEGAS – Raquel Pennington doesn’t plan on going the distance with Holly Holm at UFC 246.
After being edged out in their first meeting in 2015, Pennington wants to leave no doubt when she rematches Holm in the co-main event of Saturday’s pay-per-view on ESPN+.
“I don’t go to the judges for one,” Pennington said. “I have it in my head: Obviously I’m conditioned to go 15 minutes, but I have it in my head that max cap 14 minutes, and I mean, you have a boxer vs. a brawler, and that can become an ugly game, so I just plan to go out there and focus on my potential and everything that I’m capable of and just perform at my finest.”
Pennington (10-7 MMA, 7-4 UFC) snapped a two-fight losing streak when she picked up a split decision win over rising contender Irene Aldana last July. Her two losses came to former UFC 145-pound champ Germaine de Randamie and a bantamweight title shot against Amanda Nunes in which Pennington was stopped in the fifth round at UFC 224.
Pennington hopes a win over former UFC bantamweight champion Holm will catapult her back into title contention.
“So when I beat Holly, yeah, I feel like it throws me back up there, and obviously my ultimate goal is to get back to that world title,” Pennington said. “I’ve had to overcome a few, climb a few mountains and stuff, and so I definitely think that fight sets me up for that.”
Ever since she lost to Holm almost five years ago, Pennington has been eager to run things back. She’s confident that she won that fight and is looking forward to the opportunity to right that wrong.
“You know I’m super excited for this fight,” Pennington said. “It’s been a fight in the making for five years now. It’s been something that, I’ve been motivated since back in 2014 when she got her hand raised, so I’m just extremely excited. I’m more than ready. Back in October when she pulled out because of her injury, it was a little disappointing. But we’re here, and I’m ready.
“I’ve watched it a few times and stuff, and I’ve looked at things, and I think I won that fight. So, hey, this Saturday when it comes, I’m going to do everything to make sure I win this fight.”
UFC 246 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.
To hear more from Pennington, watch the video above.
Raquel Pennington thinks she won first Holly Holm fight, doesn't plan on needing judges at UFC 246
