5 reasons why Holly Holm is a legend of combat sports: Highlighting 'The Preacher's Daughter's' underrated achievements ahead of UFC 300
Holly Holm is set to make her return to the octagon later this month after nearly a year of inactivity when she faces promotional newcomer Kayla Harrison at UFC 300. Take a look at five reasons why 'The Preacher's Daughter' is a combat sports legend below.
#1. She is an International Boxing Hall of Famer
Holly Holm had a legendary boxing career that began in 2002 and lasted until 2013. She ended her career with a 33-2-3 record that included 16 titles defenses across three different weight classes.
In addition to earning a plethora of awards, including being named The Ring Fighter of the Year in 2005 and 2006, 'The Preacher's Daughter' retired as BoxRec's highest-ranked pound-for-pound women's boxer of all time. She remains the promotion's highest-ranked women's welterweight of all time. Holm has been named to the International Boxing Hall of Fame, International Women's Boxing Hall of Fame and New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame.
#2. Her legendary victory over Ronda Rousey
Holly Holm put her stamp on mixed martial arts as she became the first fighter to defeat Ronda Rousey. She entered the UFC 193 bout as a heavy underdog, with almost everyone giving her no shot of winning.
Despite this, 'The Preacher's Daughter' landed a second-round head kick to capture the women's bantamweight title. She earned Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses and later earned 2015 Upset of the Year and Knockout of the Year honors.
#3. How quickly she became a UFC champion
In addition to the previously mentioned honors Holly Holm received in 2015, she was also named Newcomer of the Year. She needed less than nine months to claim the women's bantamweight champion.
After debuting at UFC 184 in February, she returned in July before knocking out Ronda Rousey to claim the title in November. It remains one of the quickest rises to a title in promotional history.
#4. She is the only fighter to become both a boxing and UFC champion
Holly Holm has been both a boxing and UFC champion in her legendary combat sports career. To this day, she remains the only combat sports athlete, either male or female, to become a champion in both sports.
#5. She has shared the octagon with some of the biggest names in women's mixed martial arts
Perhaps no fighter in women's mixed martial arts history has shared the octagon with bigger names than Holly Holm. In addition to facing Ronda Rousey, the No.5-ranked bantamweight has faced UFC champions Amanda Nunes, Valentina Shevchenko, Cris Cyborg, Miesha Tate, Raquel Pennington and Germaine de Randamie.
She has also faced several title challengers. Additionally, she is set to face Kayla Harrison, who is arguably the biggest name in women's mixed martial arts that has yet to compete in the UFC, in her promotional debut at UFC 300.