Ex-UFC champ Holly Holm provides timeline for end of fighting career

Former UFC champion Holly Holm signalled that the end of her mixed martial arts career is approaching, revealing during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show that she likely has only one or two fights remaining before retirement.

Holm's announcement comes after a controversial split-decision loss to Stephanie Han in a boxing match under Most Valuable Promotions last weekend. The Jackson-Wink MMA standout has not competed in MMA since UFC 300 in April 2024, when she suffered a second-round submission defeat to future 135-pound champion Kayla Harrison. Since then, Holm has competed in boxing and freestyle wrestling, compiling a 1-2 record in the boxing ring.

The former bantamweight champion entered combat sports at the highest level, winning her first nine MMA bouts before delivering a career-defining head-kick knockout of previously undefeated Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 in November 2015. Though her title reign was brief, the victory over Rousey catapulted Holm to mainstream stardom that has defined the latter half of her career. Following Rousey's recent return to the ring with a victory over Gina Carano at MVP's "Rousey vs. Carano" on May 16, speculation arose about a potential rematch between the two fighters.

Rousey quickly shut down the idea, claiming she has retired again and boasting she would "clean Holm's clock" if they fought. However, Holm expressed openness to a rematch while acknowledging that Rousey appears uninterested. "I don't think that she really wants to, and I'm not even mad at her for it," Holm said. "I don't want someone to get in there and fight if they don't want to actually fight." Holm reiterated that she has always been willing to accept the rematch if Rousey changes her mind, maintaining respect for her former opponent's legacy as a dominant champion.