Holly Holm is prepared defend her title against Miesha Tate, and prove that she isn’t just a “one-hit-wonder.”
In November, at UFC 193, Holm did the seemingly impossible — she knocked out the former undefeated UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. In what was arguably the biggest upset in UFC history, Holly managed to dominate the first round, and then knocked Rousey out in the second with a kick to the head.
Since then, Holly, who is also referred to as “The Preacher’s Daughter,” has been known as the woman who defeated Ronda Rousey , but that’s not what she wants. Holly Holm wants her fans to know her as a talented fighter. With the Miesha Tate fight, Holm wants to prove once and for all that she is the “real deal.”
“It’s just as important of a fight. I mean I don’t want to be a one-hit wonder. Even more of an important fight,” Holm told Fox Sports on Wednesday. “A lot of people are wondering ‘what’s really going to happen now after that kind of a victory?’. Is she the real deal? Is she really going to do it? There’s a lot more pressure on this that I put on myself but that’s what I’m here for.”
#UFC196 : @HollyHolm vs @MieshaTate | Sat. March 5 | LIVE on Pay-Per-View 10pmET https://t.co/HhrNg1lI3b
— #UFC196 (@ufc) March 5, 2016
UFC president Dana White wanted Holm to wait until the rematch with Rousey to fight again. Last month, it was announced that the pair would be fighting in July at UFC 200, but due to Rousey’s filming schedule, she wouldn’t be able to make it. While it would have probably made more sense for Holly to wait for the big payday with Rousey, she insisted on staying active and agreed to the fight with Miesha Tate.
“A lot of people before I took this fight are like ‘that’s a big risk for you to take a fight with somebody else.’ Well, what are we in this for?” Holm said.
“I feel like this is a really tough fight for me, but what else am I supposed to be doing here?” Holm added. “I want to fight all the girls that are the best, because that’s what makes the best victory. Obviously this is a really big challenge for me to take, and a lot of people think it was even silly.”
I’m very interested in the @ufc outcome of @HollyHolm and @MieshaTate tonight…. Hmmmm… https://t.co/osNkLgvFgr pic.twitter.com/UFcJ460Ft6
— Alpha Cat Zingano (@CatZingano) March 5, 2016
Holly Holm vs. Miesha Tate is just as important to Miesha. Tate, who hasn’t lost a fight since her fight with Rousey. She believes she has what it takes to pull off a win against Holm, and is calling herself Holm’s kryptonite.
“I really think that I’m Holly Holm’s kryptonite,” Miesha said. “I am the worst matchup that Holly could ask for. I have more ring experience. I have a wrestling background, which is a threat there and it’s a completely different style of takedowns. She has never fought a girl even close to my style in MMA.”
Holly Holm is done talking about Ronda Rousey. At #UFC196 , it’s time to fight https://t.co/E5uKhdVJiS pic.twitter.com/dm0knCPiUi
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) March 2, 2016
“I’ve looked at all the opponents she fought, none of them have put the kind of pressure on her that I’m going to put on her. The right kind of pressure,” Tate added. “It’s not the kind of pressure that’s reckless abandon, it’s not going to be desperation. It’s going to be an ‘oh [expletive]’ type of pressure.”
Holly Holm will be taking on Miesha Tate during UFC 196 on Saturday, March 5. The event, which will also include a match-up between Connor McGregor and Nate Diaz, will be available via pay-per-view.
[Photo by Dennis Van Tine/STAR MAX/IPx]
