Jeff Kirkpatrick, Holly Holm’s Husband: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Jeff Kirkpatrick, Jeff Kirkpatrick and Holly Holm, Holly Holm husband

Holly Holm captioned this picture with husband Jeff Kirkpatrick, “Happy birthday to my husband. Thank you, Jeff, for supporting me in everything I do…. Ummmmmm… Except maybe shopping… Anyhow, i hope this year is full of love, health and happiness.” (Instagram/ Holly Holm)

Holly Holm shocked everyone, especially Ronda Rousey, when she kicked the previously undefeated champ in the face, knocking her out, this past Saturday during the UFC 193. Underdog Holm was named the UFC bantamweight champion and a rematch between the two is likely.

Although Rousey did say on Instagram, “I’m going to take a little bit of time, but I’ll be back.”

But even with her new found fame, Holm will not be entering the Hollywood spotlight like Rousey has. Holm’s husband, Jeff Kirkpatrick said, “The spotlight and all that is not what Holly is about. She loves the media when it is around but she would prefer to be at home in our house and hanging out with friends.”

Read on to learn more about Kirkpatrick and their relationship:

Holly Holm, Holly Holm husband

Holly Holm reacts after defeating Ronda Rousey. Part of her caption reads, “Best feeling in the world. Still trying to process and take it all in. There aren’t enough words to express what I am feeling. Thank you @ufc for the opportunity and most of all thank you to my team for believing in me.” (Instagram/ Holly Holm)


1. Kirkpatrick Wasn’t Surprised by The Win & Doesn’t Think Holm Will Change as a Person

Jeff Kirkpatrick, Jeff Kirkpatrick and Holly Holm, Holly Holm husband

Jeff Kirkpatrick and Holly Holm on a dinner date. They have been married since 2012.(Instagram/ Holly Holm)

Holm, a former boxer and kickboxer, only really got into MMA fighting around 2011 and is sometimes looked at as inexperienced, which is why she was considered such an underdog in this fight despite having a, now, 10-0 MMA fighting record.

“I know there have been a lot of people that kind of doubted her based on just the boxing career and she came out and proved everyone wrong and did what she needed to do. I actually didn’t have a doubt in my mind,” Kirkpatrick told MMA Fighting in an interview after the fight. He went on to explain her coaches and teammates were reassuring and didn’t doubt her either so that helped Kirkpatrick know she was ready. He added,

“We were in the front row, I just saw the head kick and I just went crazy and everyone around me was going crazy and I tried to actually jump in over the fence but security stopped me there for a short second. But I really want to go back and look at the fight on TV because being up there is kind of like a dream come true and it went by so fast.”

Kirkpatrick added that although he doesn’t bet, he certainly would have placed money on his wife if he was a bettor.

Despite Holm beating Rousey and winning the championship, Kirkpatrick doesn’t think his wife will change and, to her, this was a major accomplishment but she was just doing her job.

“The requirements of the day-to-day travel and so on might change a little bit but as a person Holly will never change and I will never change. We are normal people and we just do our jobs. She just happens to do her job very well,” he told USA Today.



2. The Couple Got Married in 2012

Jeff Kirkpatrick, Jeff Kirkpatrick and HOlly Holm, Holly Holm husband

Holly Holm and husband Jeff Kirkpatrick enjoy a dinner together along with Holm’s manager. (Instagram/ Holly Holm)

Holm and Kirkpatrick got married on April 27, 2012 in Cancun. Not only is Kirkpatrick one of Holm’s biggest fans but so is his sister. His sister Lauren said in an interview with the Albuquerque Journal in 2012, “You’re always kind of scared of who your brother marries, but I lucked out big time,” and now the two are close friends.

Kirkpatrick graduated from the University of New Mexico, where Holm also studied for a year, before graduating in 2002. He has degrees in accounting and finance as well as experience working as the Fleet/Lease Manager for ADESA Auctions in California. He is the vice president at his family business, AAA Roofing Co. in Albuquerque, New Mexico where he works along with his father, Tom, and sister, Lauren.



3. He Said This Was The Greatest Moment of His Life Besides Their Wedding

Jeff Kirkpatrick, Jeff Kirkpatrick and Holly Holm, Holly Holm husband

Holly Holm and husband Jeff Kirkpatrick watch an MMA fight. (Twitter/ Holly Holm)

Kirkpatrick talked about how Holm is very emotional before every fight because of all the work she has put into it explaining, “if it’s not perfect, she’s not happy with herself.” He says he wouldn’t consider this any different than any other fight because to Holm it was just another day at the office and her hardwork paid off.

When asked if this was the greatest moment of his life he said it was, in addition to their wedding day. “It was one of the top moments, something she has worked her whole life for it and as a husband you get joy out of seeing your wife succeed and be happy… so as long as she’s happy it makes me happy,” he told MMA Fighting.


4. They’re Excited to Get Back to Albuquerque, Where November Was Proclaimed ‘Holly Holm Month’

Jeff Kirkpatrick, Jeff Kirkpatrick and Holly Holm, Holly Holm husband

Jeff Kirkpatrick surprised wife Holly Holm with a trip to Scottsdale. Part of her caption reads, “I am the luckiest girl in the world.” (Instagram/ Holly Holm)

Holm and Kirkpatrick will take a few days to celebrate the big win on their own in Australia before returning to Albuquerque, where a reception is being planned.

Holm told USA Today:

“I have heard that things are going crazy in Albuquerque already and I can’t wait to get back there. I love my home so much, the people have shown me so much love and I can’t wait to celebrate with them and thank them for their support.”

Mayor Richard Berry of Albuquerque expects a celebration to take place later this week or on the weekend. “The excitement I saw the night of the event is something really special, so I want to make sure there’s a special, really good homecoming,” says Berry.

But Holm should expect more than a celebration, the Albuquerque City Council proclaimed November as “Holly Holm Month,” according to KOB4.


5. Kirkpatrick Respects Rousey & Says Holm Has Looked Up to Her

Jeff Kirkpatrick, Jeff Kirkpatrick and Holly Holm, Holly Holm husband

Holly Holm and her husband Jeff Kirkpatrick supporting her teammate Alistair Overeem. (Instagram/ Holly Holm)

“All respect to Ronda. Holly has looked up to Ronda all these years and Holly has nothing bad to say about Ronda. It’s an honor for Holly to be in the cage with her so we wish her well,” Kirkpatrick told MMA Fighting after the fight.

It seems Rousey shares respect for Holm as well. After praising her before the fight as “the most decorated striker we have in all of mixed martial arts” and a “19-time boxing world champion,” Rousey added that Holm is “definitely my biggest challenge to date so I’m super-excited about it,” according to Holly Holm’s website.


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