Holly Holm doesn’t realize what she’s lost, at least that’s what UFC president Dana White thinks.
Since Holly knocked out the former women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 in November, White had been adamant about Holly not fighting again until a rematch. White knew the rematch would make for a big payday and wanted Holm to hold out for it. However, Holm was worried that the rematch wouldn’t take place until late this year, and wanted to stay active in the meantime, which is why she agreed to the fight against Miesha Tate at UFC 196.
Dana White says Holly Holm’s manager is an “old boxing guy who thinks he’s smart” https://t.co/3KQr4J7q8p pic.twitter.com/8aaKVX1lUd
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) March 9, 2016
Holm went into the fight with Tate with all the confidence in the world. However, she was submitted in the fifth round of the co-main event. Now, rather than Holm taking on Rousey, Tate will be next in line, and White is blaming Holm’s manager Lenny Fresquez for the shakeup.
“The sad part about that is, listen, he’s an old boxing guy who thinks he’s smart, and he’s not,” White said during a recent appearance on ESPN’s Russillo & Kanell . “It’s one of those things. I feel bad about it. I feel bad for Holly. I don’t know if Holly really knows what she lost. I think she has so much faith in the people that surround her, she feels like, ‘Well, they got me this far.’”
White said Holm made a huge mistake by letting other people decide her fate for her. Had she had a say, White said she could have made it so much further.
“We had this meeting, and Holly wasn’t even in it. Holly, that’s your life,” White continued. “You should be in that meeting. Don’t leave it to these people. Anyway, Holly made a lot of money. She accomplished great things, she beat Ronda Rousey. But it could have been so much bigger for her, and the sad part is, I don’t think she even knows it.”
Dana White following Holly Holm’s loss to Miesha Tate: “I feel bad for Holly.” https://t.co/FqdSY4db0z pic.twitter.com/xitcJaKVZx
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 9, 2016
Despite White’s claims, Fresquez insists Holm makes the final decision on all of her fights, and she has never been a fighter that focuses solely on making money. Rather than wanting to cash in on that big payday, Holly would rather stay active and take on other contenders, which is why she agreed to the fight with Miesha Tate.
“Of course, she knows,” Fresquez said. “It was a team decision, and Holly is the boss. She wanted to fight, and she got her wish. I think she’ll fight Miesha or Ronda next. That’s my personal feeling, but who knows what the UFC has cooking? Holly was dominant in that fight against Miesha except for the second and fifth round. She paid for it. Hat’s off to Miesha for capitalizing.”
Holly Holm demands rematch with Miesha Tate at # #UFC200 https://t.co/qDHGnZWJN6 pic.twitter.com/3WOnCw81lO
— MMA News Source (@MMANewsSource) March 8, 2016
As for what’s next for Holly Holm, Fresquez said she is up for anything and is ready to take on both Miesha and Ronda. He said she has learned from her mistakes and will be back better than ever.
“What happens next is the UFC’s decision. All I can speak to are Holly’s wishes. Holly wants to fight Miesha right away. She wants to fight Ronda Rousey. Even with the title, a fight between Miesha and Rousey doesn’t have the glamour a fight with Holly and Ronda does. Yeah, Holly lost. She made a mistake, but she’ll learn from it. Everyone saw she’s a warrior.”
[Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images]
