Holly Holm made history last Saturday when she dethroned Ronda Rousey to become the UFC women’s bantamweight champion. It has been said that time heals all wounds, but as Rousey takes the time off she needs to repair and regroup, the proverbial UFC show must go on. Prior to her matchup with Holm, Rousey had dispatched all note-worthy challengers in the division, leaving things feeling a bit stale. The UFC grasped at straws trying to find the best matchup for the seemingly peerless champion. A rumored return bout with twice-defeated rival, Miesha Tate, seemed to be on the horizon but that fight was greeted with little fanfare. As luck would have it, UFC brass would instead put Holm in the fight and the rest is head kick knockout history.
What happens next? Where does the UFC go from here? The simple, logical, moneymaking answer is Ronda Rousey gets an immediate rematch. Not only does she get the rematch, she gets just enough time off that the rematch takes place at UFC 200 and makes more money than any fight in UFC history. But you know what? That’s boring. Now I’m not saying I won’t watch that fight, heck they could charge double and you better believe I’m still buying it. If and when that happens the pay-per-view buy rate will be through the roof and everyone involved will go home with their pockets lined in hundred dollar bills. However, the bantamweight division was just thrown on its head and I want to talk about all the amazing possibilities that exist in a world without a layoff for the newly crowned champ. Besides, this champ is no spring chicken. She isn’t standing with one foot outside the cage but at 34 years old, Holly Holm is the third oldest champion in the UFC. Fighting as clean a fight as she did against Rousey, I see no reason why she couldn’t jump back in the cage sooner rather than later.
Right out of the gate, I say the UFC needs to toss Miesha Tate into the cage with Holm. The Washington native was passed over for a title shot against Rousey by Holm just a few months back and it seems like maybe the UFC owes her one. Obviously Holm had nothing to do with the decision making process that led to Tate’s misfortune, but that doesn’t mean she can’t help right the wrong. With Rousey out of the picture, Tate is the clear number one contender. She has four straight wins and is coming off a performance against Jessica Eye that showed just what an experienced and smart fighter she is. To make things even more interesting, Tate and Rousey are bitter rivals and if Tate got a title shot ahead of Rousey, you better believe we would be hearing a lot about that from both parties. Rousey has spent years playing the villain when it comes to her rivalry with Tate and this would only fuel the fire. Meanwhile, Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm would be free to sit back and let this fight come to her. Holm wins this one in the 4th round by TKO.
My next option for Holm would be a matchup with Invicta FC featherweight champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino. This matchup would most certainly mean a blow to the ego of Rousey because Holm would literally beat her to the punch against the controversial Brazilian. Cyborg had one big advantage against Rousey and that was size. Standing 5’8” tall, it is rumored that Cyborg (who is heavily muscled) walks around at about 175 pounds, 40 pounds over the 135-pound weight limit. This would have been enough to push around Rousey but it won’t mean as much against Holm. Possessing the strength to fight off Rousey rather easily in their fight, Holm would certainly be able to hold her own against Cyborg. Here is why this fight makes sense to me. Holm may want to provide a legacy inside the Octagon and besting Rousey was a great start. However, if she really wanted to turn heads, she could try and dispatch the one-fighter fans had been clamoring for Rousey to fight. Many felt Cyborg was the last big test for Rousey and obviously those same people overlooked Holm. This fight is a little trickier; I can see it going either way. Holm has been susceptible to a good punch now and again and Cyborg does hit really hard. Holm on the other hand is experienced at making this weight and has proven she is the most elite striker in the division. If I were forced to pick I would say Cyborg gasses due to the weight cut and Holm clips her late for another TKO victory.
Beyond that there would be new life for all of the past challengers of Rousey. Sarah Kaufman, Cat Zingano, and Sara McMann would all be happy to step up and fight for the title, I’m sure. Not only that but up and comers like Spokane’s Julianna Peña would be knocking at the door before too long. Peña is on a three-fight win streak of her own and has been vocal about her desire to fight for UFC gold. So as you can see, the options are many. Fight after fight in a division that was just blown apart by the sound of a well timed left kick to the face of Ronda Rousey. It would be tragic if Rousey weren’t given the chance to win back her title but what would happen if she actually did? Say Rousey comes back and somehow wins back her title; fans would obviously be forced to wait for Rousey vs. Holm three and the rest of the division would be put on ice while the years fell off the calendar. I am not saying I don’t want to see the rematch, I do, but more than that I want to see what can happen in a division that is full of options and short on villains.
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