Weight Class: Bantamweight Holly Holm would be Ronda Rousey's toughest test to date, if this fight was taking place a year and a half from now. Instead, due to a lack of viable opponents for the wrecking machine that is Rousey, Holm is being rushed into the fight, and honestly, it's a case of too much, too soon. Holm (9-0) is, like Rousey (12-0), undefeated in her pro career. She was a champion boxer in multiple weight classes, and is the most decorated striker Rousey has faced, but sadly, the level of competition in women's boxing is not on the same level as it is in mixed martial arts, and Holm's MMA career, while technically spotless, hasn't been the most dominant. Both her UFC fights have been decision victories, and she has been far from dominant in those fights. While Holm does train with Jon Jones at Team Jackson-Winklejohn, and is thus part of one of the best MMA camps in the world, besides her inexperience against top-level competition, her style will not favour her in this fight. To win, she'll need to jab and move a lot, which will force Rousey to attack. Rousey has proven she can take a punch, and if she latches onto one of Holm's arms, she may just take it as a trophy. There's a decent chance this fight at least makes it out of the first round (so far only former Strikeforce champ Miesha Tate has managed that against Rousey), but Rousey is still a lock to win. Rousey by arm-bar, round two.
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.
