UFC Rumors: Holly Holm To Get Another Title Shot With A Win Over Valentina Shevchenko

Holly Holm has had a long journey to get where she is today. Before Holly Holm stunned the world by wrestling the UFC women’s bantamweight title from Ronda Rousey’s waist one punch at a time, she was dominating women in boxing. All it took was one loss to Miesha Tate to take away what Holm has worked for throughout her career. It now comes back to square one for Holly Holm.

Like Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm did not get an immediate rematch. There was a difference though. Rousey wound up being hurt in her bout with Holly Holm. Holm on the other hand was healthy enough to fight again.

"I got in the gym the Monday after my fight." – @HollyHolm on how she dealt with her #UFC196 loss. (via @TheHerd) pic.twitter.com/8aduyJh3Dm

— FS1 (@FS1) July 21, 2016

According to Fox Sports, Holm did not have to face Miesha Tate at all. She could have waited for a rematch with Ronda Rousey later in the year, but she opted not to.

“I don’t think a whole division should be based around one fighter, one fight, one moment. I don’t want my career based around one fighter — it’s my career, too. I want to keep pushing forward with it and doing well with it. I don’t want it to be based on the fact that I waited around for one fighter. Then what is that for me? So my (career) is second best? No. I want to fight for myself and my career, not wait for someone else.”

Despite losing to Miesha Tate, Holly Holm was right in defending her title. It is now the end of July and there is still little signs of a Ronda Rousey return to the Octagon. Some predict that she will come back in the beginning of 2017. As it stands, the UFC is still banking on her fighting sooner rather than later.

That @HollyHolm @BulletValentina face-off was ICE COLD ?????? #UFCChicago https://t.co/xoeiCCZXg4

— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) July 22, 2016

Because the UFC was game planning on Ronda Rousey being able to give it a go for UFC 200, Holly Holm was told to prove her worth in another fight. The end result had Rousey taking off more time to heal. Miesha Tate took on Amanda Nunes and loss in shocking fashion. Now Holly Holm will face Valentina Shevchenko at UFC Fight Night in Chicago.

It is safe to say that in UFC 200, the company took a huge risk by not allowing Holly Holm an immediate rematch. And judging by the end result of UFC 200, the gamble was an epic fail.

Allowing Holm to get another crack at Miesha Tate would have been more of a box office draw to a UFC 200 card that lost its luster leading up to the opening fight. At least Holly Holm fans will get to see her on UFC Fight Night versus a talented Valentina Shevchenko. A win over Shevchenko could give Holm another shot at the title.

“She’s no joke. She’s got a lot of experience in her standup. She’s been in every situation you could imagine. She is a very well-rounded fighter, good on her feet, good in the clinch and very strong. There are a lot of things I have to look out for in this fight.”

The former champion insisted that she has been preparing for the continuation of her uphill climb, which begins with Valentina Shevchenko.

“I was already working on my ground game before the last fight. And yes, it ended the way it ended, but it’s just one of those things that it just made me more motivated to put more time into it. I want to always be improving and getting better. I want to keep pushing forward.”

Nothing has derailed Holm so far. Not even her loss to Tate will slow her down. The defeat may work out to be the best thing for her career because she has had to add to her treasure chest of abilities. Her striking is among the best, but it was her takedown defense that needed help. Fans will see how much better her ground game has become when she steps inside the Octagon at UFC Fight Night in Chicago. Some clear improvement should push her past Valentina Shevchenko.

It will take a convincing victory for Holly Holm to be next in line to face Amanda Nunes. Any sign of struggle, or even a close win, could push her out of the title picture for the time being.

[Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images]