After a decade-long career in the UFC, former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm is leaving the promotion. MMA scribe Ariel Helwani confirmed her departure on X, adding that Holm is not yet retired from fighting, and will compete in combat sports as a “free agent”. The UFC will feel the big void left by the star and many fans paid tribute to her career by highlighting its biggest moment — the Ronda Rousey knockout.
Breaking:
Holly Holm has parted ways with the UFC and is now a free agent.
She had two fights left on her deal, asked to explore other opportunities and the UFC obliged.
She plans on continuing to fight and is open to MMA or boxing, her long-time agent Lenny Fresquez tells…
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 14, 2025
Holm was one of the pioneering women fighters in mixed martial arts. Her crowning achievement was a head-kick KO to knock Rousey off her pedestal in 2015. Rousey, at the time, seemed unbeatable. That had more to do with the lack of proper strikers in the women’s bantamweight division back then. Holm’s kick not only put her out, it also largely derailed her fighting career.
Rousey would never be the same fighter again. On return to the octagon, the former champ found it a hostile place with the competition having left her miles behind.
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Reacting to the news of her departure, fans recalled Holm’s career with many thanking her for ending Rousey’s reign.
“Goodbye (Respectfully) thanks for knocking out Ronda Rousey,” wrote a fan. Another person called the KO a gift: “She had a good run. The Rousey KO is the gift that keeps on giving.”
— THE UFCGUY (@the_ufcguy) January 14, 2025
“Thank you for your contribution. And by contribution I mean knocking out Ronda”, commented one fan.
Another fan described Holm as the best ever fighter in women’s MMA: “One of the best to ever do it in wmma.“
Holm’s career in the UFC, however, is much more storied than the Ronda KO. It has been a tale of grit. Holm exceeded expectations and overcame odds to become a legend in her own right.
A closer look at Holm’s career in the UFC
Known as ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’, Holm made her UFC debut on February 28, 2015, securing a split decision win over Raquel Pennington at UFC 184. Her most iconic moment came on November 14, 2015, at UFC 193, when she won the bantamweight title ending Rousey’s unbeaten run.
November 14, 2015: Holly Holm knocks out Ronda Rousey at #UFC193 pic.twitter.com/uYJ1B3xENA
— This Day In Sports Clips (@TDISportsClips) November 14, 2023
Holm was never one of the marquee champions of the division. But often, she was the gatekeeper. Anyone who wished to move up in the division and compete at the top had to go through her.
If they ended up beating her, there was a good chance that they could go on to hold the title in the future. Valentina Shevchenko and Meisha Tate are classic examples of this.
Holm’s final fight in the UFC was against Kayla Harrison at UFC 300 in April last year. It was Harrison’s debut. And the way she performed against Holm has possibly set her up for bigger things in the promotion.
Harrison won the fight with a rear-necked choke in the second round. Holm looked slightly out of place, subdued, and perhaps a touch slower than she was in her prime. So the decision to call it a day in the promotion doesn’t come as a surprise.
Holm’s agent, Lenny Fresquez, explained that she asked the UFC for a release despite having two more fights left on her deal. The former champion wants to take on newer challenges in MMA or boxing.
Holm exits the promotion with a 15-7-0 record and many memorable moments, including the big one against Rousey.