Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey’s dominance of the 135-pound division came to an abrupt end at UFC 193. She was knocked unconscious by a head kick from Holly Holm in the ring in Melbourne, Australia. She held the title for more than three years.
On February 17, 2026, it was announced that Rousey would return to MMA against Gina Carano on May 16, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Rousey, 39, last fought in December 2016. Carano, 43, has not fought since August 2009.
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Holm was asked about the contest and gave her analysis, but ultimately did not pick a winner.
“I think whoever sticks to their game plan is going to come out victorious,” Holm told FightHype. “Gina hasn’t been there in a long time, but she’s no stranger to the spotlight either. She was one of the first women to be on cable as a main event. So she’s always been there. She’s no stranger to that. The same goes for Ronda.
“She’s a champion. She’s an Olympian for a reason. She puts in a lot of hard work. You know, with her best skills, she’s going to be hard to beat. Gina is going to have to fight to not get there. And, you know, she’s putting in the work. And Ronda, we’ll see when she comes back as well. I think we’ll see once the first punch is thrown. I think you can really see where it goes from there for the fighter.”
Holm is scheduled to challenge Stephanie Han for the WBA lightweight title in a rematch on May 30 in El Paso, Texas. After this, Holm would be willing to face the champions of Rousey and Carano in MMA competition.
