Former UFC champ Holly Holm has expressed high regard for Amanda Nunes after her retirement, dismissing suggestions Nunes was afraid to fight Julianna Pena, and expressing willingness to fight Nunes, referring to a potential rematch with the retired champion as a ‘sweet victory’.
Former UFC bantamweight champion Holly Holm expresses respect for Amanda Nunes, even as she admits feeling the sting of her 2019 loss to the Brazilian star and the absence of a rematch. Nunes, who recently announced her retirement following a victory over Irene Aldana at UFC 289, dropped her two title belts at 135 and 145 pounds. Despite Holm’s ambition to be the fighter to defeat Nunes, she nonetheless congratulates Nunes on her titles and retirement, and conveys her well-wishes.
The retirement created shockwaves in the division, leaving Holm poised to aim for the title, though she confesses she’d rather seize it from Nunes to enhance its sweetness. Holm respects Nunes as a formidable fighter, but still believes she could be beaten. However, she insists Nunes’ exit is simply out of good sport, not fear, and extends an open challenge should Nunes ever wish to return. Following Nunes’ retirement, ex-champion Julianna Pena accused Nunes of dodging a potential third encounter with her, claiming she was the greatest women’s fighter in MMA history, a notion that makes Holm jest and maintain that Nunes is not scared of any fight.
While the division looks for its next champion, fighters like Julianna Pena and Raquel Pennington are also aiming at the vacant top spot, creating complex dynamics. Holm, who almost fought Pena in 2021 before a surgery sidelined her, discusses unfinished business with Pena and notes Pennington’s ranking despite her two losses to Holm. Meanwhile, the possibility of short-notice match ups like one with Pennington, keeps her on her toes. For now, Holm’s focus remains on victory in her upcoming fight against Mayra Bueno Silva on Saturday and her unchanging quest to win the title.
She, however, cautions against taking any fight for granted, stating that even though she’s been victorious over Pennington twice, it’s not a guarantee to the title, invoking Pennington’s resilience and progress. As a former champion and a constant top-ranking performer, Holm is aware she’s always in line for title contention, but is focused on impressively beating Silva to solidify her claim for the vacant title. For Holm, the desire to win the title remained constant whether Nunes held it or not, and she plans to continue strategically advancing her career with successive victories.