Holly Holm answers if she would still accept the fight if Kayla Harrison fails to make 135 pounds at UFC 300
Holly Holm is set to welcome Kayla Harrison to the UFC when the pair clash at UFC 300. The former UFC women's bantamweight champion recently revealed that she expects her opponent to make weight for their bout.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani of The MMA Hour, the No.5-ranked women's bantamweight stated:
"I'm on the stance that you need to make weight. That's just how it is, and I think that her mindset should be on, 'I'm going to make weight' because she took the fight at 135. I think it's simple. I don't think it should be super detailed. You think about the [cancelled UFC 291] fight with [Stephen] 'Wonderboy' [Thompson], his opponent [Michel Pereira] came in three pounds over."
Holm continued:
"People are like, 'oh, it's only three pounds' and he's like, 'well, yeah, if it's only three pounds then go lose the three pounds'. There's two ways to look at it. Oh, it's only this or well, it's only that. You can look at it from a lot of different angles, but as a professional, it's just guys have got to make weight. I work hard to make my weight so I expect the same."
Check out Holly Holm's comments on Kayla Harrison making weight below:
Harrison has almost exclusively fought in the PFL's 155-pound weight division since making her mixed martial arts debut in 2018. She had one bout at 145 pounds in 2020, however, she has never fought at 135 pounds. UFC President and CEO Dana White revealed that she conducted a 'test cut' before signing with the promotion.
Holly Holm hoping to get a title shot with a victory over Kayla Harrison at UFC 300
Holly Holm has not fought for a UFC title since 2019, when she was defeated by Amanda Nunes via first-round TKO at UFC 239. Her last and only title bout win came when she shocked the world in 2015 by defeating Ronda Rousey with a second-round knockout at UFC 193.
The No.5-ranked women's bantamweight recently revealed that she is hoping to get another title opportunity if she beats Kayla Harrison at UFC 300. Speaking to Ariel Helwani of The MMA Hour, Holm was asked if she believes a title opportunity is at stake, responding:
"I hope so. I mean, winning a fight big like that. I've fought for the belt more than once so a lot of people think about what the anticipation is. They want to see other people fight for the belt, but you also have to put people in line that deserve to be there and there's a reason why I have been up there because I'm currently, and stayed, ranked in the top-five for a really long time so my goal is always to get to the belt."
Check out Holly Holm's comments on a title opportunity below:
Holm added that she would not be fighting if she wasn't chasing a title, noting that money and fun are not motivating factors. The former women's bantamweight champion is just 1-4 in title bouts throughout her UFC career.