Former women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm has parted ways with the UFC.
Holm, who made history by becoming the first fighter to defeat Ronda Rousey when she won the world title in November 2015 what was — at the time at least — one of the biggest title fight shocks in UFC history, requested her release from the organisation, her manager Lenny Fresquez confirmed to numerous sources.
Further reporting has suggested that Holm, 43, is open to continuing her career in either boxing or MMA. The veteran fighter has a professional MMA record of 15-7 as well as a boxing ledger of 33-2-3. In 2017, Holm was inducted to the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame.
Holm’s title reign in the UFC at 135-pound following her knockout win over Rousey in Australia would last for just one fight as she was dethroned by Miesha Tate in her first title defence at UFC 196 in March 2016. She would go on to lose three title fights (two at featherweight to Germain de Randamie and Cris Cyborg, and at bantamweight to Amanda Nunes).
Holm most recently competed in the UFC at the promotion’s UFC 300 event in Las Vegas last April where she was defeated by second-round submission by Kayla Harrison in a 135-pound contest.
