LAS VEGAS – Holly Holm has no intention of heeding UFC CEO Dana White’s retirement suggestion following her loss to Kayla Harrison.
Holm (15-7 MMA, 8-7 UFC) was frustrated with her performance in a second-round submission defeat to Harrison at UFC 300 in April. It was a key loss in the former UFC women’s bantamweight champ’s neverending pursuit to reclaim the belt, and afterward White suggested she hang up the gloves.
Holm, 42, won’t be doing that, though. She is bothered by the way the Harrison fight unfolded and is determined to get that bad taste out of her mouth.
“I’m pissed off,” Holm told MMA Junkie on Friday at UFC X Radio Row. “I’ve lost a lot of sleep over it because I just know I’m capable of more than what I performed. That’s how it goes. You can’t go back and change it. You’ve got to suck it up, own it, and keep grinding, and move forward.
“I’m ready to go whenever. I definitely am not ready to be done fighting. I know I’m still healthy and capable. I’m just mad that I haven’t performed.”
Holm, No. 7 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie women’s bantamweight rankings, said she has no preference in opponent for her next fight, and, as usual, is open to taking the toughest matchup possible to thrust herself upward in the division.
“I’m just training,” Holm said. “That’s all I can do. Just take on day at a time. Tomorrow’s never promised in life or in sport. I’m just training and I’ll always choose to be positive and driven in my life and I’ll just see what tomorrow brings.”
