Holly Holm and Ronda Rousey’s rematch was always going to happen. Now, there’s a date. (Getty)
We all knew it was coming. Now, it’s time to start playing the waiting game.
UFC president Dana White announced a tentative date for the inevitable Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm rematch, telling the Los Angeles Times that he expects the two to once again square off in the octagon on July 9 in Las Vegas.
The date comes as a bit of a surprise to UFC fans. After all, that’s nearly eight months after Holm and Rousey faced off for the first time and marks the longest break between fights for Holm. In the past, Holm has fought roughly once every four months, a point her agent Lenny Fresquez made sure to point out. He also noted that he and Holm’s group are advocating for an earlier fight with Miesha Tate before the Rousey rematch.
Fresquez told The Los Angeles Times:
Holly’s used to staying active. We’re from the old school and we believe the No. 1 contender is there for a reason. … [Tate] deserves a shot, but it’s not for me to decide.
White didn’t take the news of Tate’s apparent displeasure very well, sarcastically responding to Fresquez’s comments and saying, “We’re real concerned with his opinion.”
Still, there’s some question as to whether or not Rousey will even be able to get back into the octagon by July. After all, the former champ is still serving a 60-day medical suspension, which could even be extended to 180 if she doesn’t pass a CT scan and told ESPN some of her teeth are still loose from Holm’s knockout kick.
White, however, said he isn’t concerned with Rousey’s ability to recover quickly. He told The Los Angeles Times:
Ronda is the fiercest competitor I have ever met in my life and she’s also very proud. hat made the world love Ronda is that Ronda absolutely 100% knew she was not going to lose. … People rallied around this powerful female figure. Ronda’s never lost a fight. She will overcome it and be back. She got clipped, stayed in there and tried to fight through it. She told me she was in there, she was rocked, and she’d never been rocked like that before. And the things that were going on in her head – what she was doing – she’d never been in that situation.
As of right now, Holm will not be allowed to compete until she gets the OK from UFC officials and if White’s comments are any indication, she won’t be fighting anyone soon; unless it’s Rousey.
