Holly Holm may be at a crossroads the place her future is worried.
The previous bantamweight champion suffered a lopsided loss to two-time Olympic judo gold medalist Kayla Harrison at UFC 300 after she was taken down and choked out within the second spherical. The loss dropped Holm to 1-2 with one no contest in her previous 4 fights with each losses coming through submission.
Following the disappointing loss, Holm took to social media to difficulty a press release about her efficiency.
“Properly none of that went how I had envisioned during the last 10 weeks of this coaching camp,” Holm mentioned. “I’ve no excuses. I had all the very best teaching, the very best teammates, the very best sparring, all the assistance I may have even dreamed of asking for.
“I went on the market and I misplaced all deal with the sport plan. I did nothing that we educated for on this combat. All of the respect to Kayla, she was the higher fighter tonight.”
Early within the opening spherical, Holm invited a grappling trade with Harrison, which appeared like a foul concept contemplating the previous PFL champion virtually actually wished the combat on the bottom. Holm really scored an early reversal however then discovered herself caught underneath Harrison consuming elbows and punches for practically 5 consecutive minutes.
The scenario solely went from dangerous to worse within the second spherical when Harrison as soon as once more took Holm to the canvas, superior to take her again earlier than latching on the combat ending rear-naked choke.
At 42, Holm admitted in her assertion that she wants time to course of this loss earlier than deciding what’s subsequent for her profession.
“I simply know I’m able to greater than that,” Holm mentioned. “I’m a kind of that likes to self-reflect slightly than run from issues. I feel honesty with your self can typically be the toughest factor. However I’m wholesome, my coronary heart hurts, my ego hurts.
“However I simply wished to say thanks to all of the followers which have all the time stood by my facet and naturally, my crew, my coaches, my household, my buddies. A lot like to all people, I respect you and I’ll be again.”
UFC CEO Dana White praised Harrison for her debut efficiency as she lived as much as the hype as one of many larger free agent signings in current historical past.
As for Holm, White continued to name her a legend within the sport however he believes her finest days are behind her.
“I’d like to see Holly retire,” White mentioned on the UFC 300 post-fight press convention.
Clearly, Holm didn’t reply to White’s suggestion to name it a profession however she’s additionally understandably nonetheless coping with the quick aftermath from her newest loss.
Whether or not she continues preventing or not, Holm maintains her place as one of many high ladies’s bantamweights of all time, particularly after her shot heard around the world when she knocked out Ronda Rousey again in 2015.
