LAS VEGAS – Holly Holm says she isn’t apprehensive in regards to the betting strains for her battle Saturday. That’s a standard adage in sports activities.
Holm, a former ladies’s bantamweight champion, pulled off one of many greatest upsets in UFC historical past when she knocked out Ronda Rousey to win the title in 2015. Rousey was a couple of 9-1 favourite.
Saturday at UFC 300 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) at T-Cell Area in Las Vegas, Holm (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) will probably be underdog to two-time Olympic judo gold medal winner Kayla Harrison (16-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who’s making her promotional debut after spending the majority of her profession within the PFL, the place she gained two $1 million titles at 155 kilos.
Harrison, who has fought at featherweight as soon as however by no means at bantamweight, is round a 4-1 favourite in opposition to Holm.
“Nothing’s new there,” Holm stated at Wednesday’s UFC 300 media day. “I’ve been the underdog greater than as soon as.”
That’s true. Holm certainly has been an underdog earlier than. However she really hasn’t been on this place since her 2019 battle in opposition to former twin champion Amanda Nunes. She’s been favored in all 5 of her fights since then, the best way she has for many of her profession.
Holm, a former professional boxing champion, stated backing Harrison may end in a shock.
“I believe lots of people simply have a look at it as she’s sturdy, she’s been dominant,” Holm stated. “However she hasn’t fought anyone like me, and that’s the underside line.”
To prepare for Harrison, Holm introduced in Bellator ladies’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg, who lengthy had been rumored for a matchup with Harrison. As soon as the PFL purchased Bellator, the presumption was that pairing lastly was teed up.
However then Harrison left the PFL for the UFC and all however squashed the potential for that matchup. So Holm coaching with Cyborg, whom she misplaced a call to in 2017, raised just a few eyebrows.
“I undoubtedly see us coaching collectively once more,” Holm stated. “It was nice to coach with one other champion. She’s like-minded. She works exhausting. She’s there to be an excellent, optimistic coaching companion. … She trains exhausting, however in a great way and with the aim of this battle, not there attempting to get her personal acquire out of issues.
“We undoubtedly talked with them about what they’d seen (of Harrison). … It was good to have Cris there coaching with my different coaching companions that I’ve, but in addition coming collectively and speaking in regards to the battle as a result of she had been getting ready for this and had already performed a variety of scouting on their very own.”
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