WITH HER CREDENTIALS as a former world champion boxer, many believed Holly Holm had the ability to pose new questions for Ronda Rousey but very few were brave enough to back her — at 9/1 with some bookmakers — to win last night’s UFC 193 main event.
Nevertheless, Holm caused what UFC commentator Joe Rogan described as “the biggest upset in MMA history” by stopping Rousey in the second round with a spectacular head-kick KO, which saw her crowned the UFC women’s bantamweight champion.
Clearly overcome with emotion, Holm spoke to fellow UFC champion Daniel Cormier on FOX Sports in the immediate aftermath of her historic win, and the choked-up 34-year-old struggled to get the words out as she paid tribute to her team at Jackson Wink MMA in Albuquerque.
“I can’t explain,” she said. “There’s so much hard work. All the time in the gym and [my team's] belief in me makes me want to do it for them. I can’t even explain how blessed and fortunate I am to have such a great team that believes in me.
“Just walking out there, it’s us anyway. We’re the ones doing it. I’m the one that has to fight and they’re the ones that are giving me the advice. That’s what it comes down to. It doesn’t matter what odds are on paper or what’s happened before. It matters what happens in that moment.
“There’s a lot of times in practice, there’s times before and after the fight, but when I get out there I just think, you know what? The time is right now, you’ve got to make it happen right now. It can’t be an hour ago, it can’t be tomorrow, it can’t be in practice. This has to be right now.”
Former UFC champion Rashad Evans was one of the few experts who tipped Holm to win last night. He asked the new champion what she said to her coach, Mike Winkeljohn, when they embraced afterwards.
As the tears continued to flow, Holm said: “I don’t know if it was so much a conversation. There was just a lot that doesn’t even need to be said. That’s someone who’s been with me from the get-go.
“When I think of all the support I have, even outside of the gym — my husband, every day. Every little thing, every detail, when I think about stuff like that, every hour I was in the gym with my coach, every support I had at home, my family… there’s just so many elements. Just my team-mates looking me straight in the eyes and saying, I believe in you.
“The one person that has probably put in the most hours of work — not probably, who has — is Mike Winkeljohn and I’ll be forever indebted.”
