Holly Holm had a great end to 2015 when she shocked the world and knocked out Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 to capture the women’s bantamweight champion.
2016 didn’t go as planned for the “Preacher’s Daughter” when she lost her title by fifth-round submission to Miesha Tate at UFC 196. Then she looked lackluster in losing by unanimous decision to Valentina Shevchenko at UFC on Fox 20 .
Holm looks to begin 2017 on the right foot when she fights Germaine de Randamie for the inaugural featherweight title in the main event of Saturday’s UFC 208.
The Greg Jackson-Mike Winkeljohn fighter doesn’t like the fact she’s lost two fights in a row wants to get the feel of winning once again and feels it’s important to get a much needed win this weekend.
“100%,” Holm clearly agitated said. “I want it for me. I don’t even care what other people say. I really don’t. I’m fighting the best in the world and I know that anything can happen in there. I know I didn’t put my best foot forward in my last two fights. These are all simple facts. Common knowledge. Everybody knows it. It’s out there. I know it. I know I’m coming off two losses. What I want for me is to know I’m not defeated. I want for me a victory. I don’t want to have a third loss in a row.
“I’ve never been here in my career, ever! I’ve never had two losses in a row, ever! A sore spot in my heart. It’s sour! Of course I want to win. There’s no way you would be in this sport and if you didn’t care care about winning or losing. Oh, “It’s not if you win or lose, it’s how you play the game. No, it’s if I win or lose and I want to win.”
Staying at 145 pounds and not fighting at 135 pounds would seem to depend on Holm does at UFC 208. But if she had a choice, she would be fine with fighting at either weight class.
“I’m ok with either one,” Holm said. “I mean this weight cut is going to be so simple. That’s 150 water loaded. I can make weight this afternoon if I needed too. I’m pretty close to my weight. So, going to 35, if I was a little more disciplined, I’d still do both. It’s been a lot less stress but I can do either one.”
