https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ehpeubZZlY At the risk of hearing "too soon" - and it might be - undefeated bantamweight prospect Holy Holm is one of the hottest female fighters outside the UFC. With Bellator having dropped WMMA for the time being, the UFC, Invicta, WSOF, and ONE FC are all options, but really, with the ONE FC being based in the Asian market, it's the first three that are real options for western fighters seeking exposure and a solid payday. Holm and her manager were negotiating with the UFC earlier this year, but money and an immediate title shot seemed to be sticking points. Still, Holm is a championship level boxer who has held the WBF women's welterweight and light welterweight belts. Her pro boxing record is 33-2-3, and she's undefeated in MMA at 7-0. Six of those seven wins were stoppages, and it's safe to say that Rousey has never faced a striker with Holm's pedigree. With negotiations between the UFC and Holm's reps seemingly stalled, and Holm having broken her arm in her most recent MMA bout (April 2014 - she would finish the fight, despite the broken arm), it might be a while still before you see her in the UFC, but a deal should get done, and she poses a legit threat to Rousey - if she can stop Rousey from taking her down. On the feet, Holm wins the match, but MMA isn't boxing, and that's the question mark that surrounds this bout.
Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.