Holly Holm says the door is still open for Ronda Rousey’s rematch ahead of the boxing title fight

Holly Holm will enter the ring in Puerto Rico on Saturday in the hunt for her fourth world title in various boxing weight classes. The 44-year-old former UFC champion will face undefeated WBA lightweight titleholder Stephanie Han this weekend at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan. But as she prepares for one of her biggest comeback fights, Holm’s thoughts have returned to one of combat sports’ most iconic moments, and the rematch that never happened.

Holly Holm open to Ronda Rousey rematch

In a recent interview with Damon Martinmade it clear to Holm that she remains open to another fight against Ronda Rousey. “I don’t know if Ronda will ever fight again, but if she does, I won’t be shocked,” Holm said.

“She was an Olympian, she was a champion, and you don’t get to that point without having a passion for sports, with a passion for what you want to do. If she has that feeling back, that would be great. I don’t think it will happen, but if it does… if she comes back, I always hope for a rematch as well. So you never know what’s going to happen with life.”

Rousey has recently been training and there is speculation about a possible comeback almost a decade after her last fight. Holm understands driving better than most. After achieving everything in boxing and then dominating MMA as a UFC champion, she stepped away and returned herself, proving that elite athletes are often itching to compete again.

What makes Holm’s perspective particularly striking is her honest assessment of how Rousey handled the darkest moment of her career. After losing her UFC title to Holm in 2015 via a knockout to the head, Rousey lost again to Amanda Nunes in 2016 and essentially disappeared from public view.

“I think Ronda definitely didn’t like how her career ended, but she’s also largely responsible for that because she withdrew,” Holm explained. “You see some of these champions who are reigning champions, they run into a problem and they at least look at the crowd, look at the camera, look at the fans, face it. I think there’s a little bit more respect in that regard.”

The fighter who has spent her entire career chasing rematch opportunities for her own losses believes Rousey can still save her legacy if she chooses to fight for the right reasons. “I think this is definitely necessary if she really wants to fight, not just because she wants it to be different,” Holm said, “because it won’t be different if she doesn’t really just want to fight.”

“Combat sports fans and fight fans, they can be cruel, but they can also be fans. They’re fans of the sport and they realize that things happen, not everything is always perfect. I think if she had faced it differently – no judgment on it – but I think if she had faced it differently, it probably wouldn’t have been as negative as a whole in her own mind and how she felt, you know. If she wants to come back and make it right for her and feel better about it, and she has done that there is a little itch in her that wants to get out and win… every athlete will feel that, then she will have more strength.

Their first meeting at UFC 193 in Melbourne remains one of the biggest upsets in sports history. Rousey entered the November 2015 fight as a 22-to-1 favorite, the biggest odds ever for a UFC title fight. Still, Holm put on a masterclass, controlling five rounds before delivering a knockout to the head 59 seconds into the second round. The event broke records that seemed untouchable: 56,214 fans filled Etihad Stadium, the largest UFC crowd ever at the time, while more than 1 million pay-per-views were purchased. The upset devastated the bookmakers in Las Vegas. For one night, Holm’s victory transcends the sport and dominates sports coverage. Rousey spent that night in the hospital. She never allowed the rematch.