Holly Holm

Holly Rene Holm, born October 17, 1981, is an American professional boxer and mixed martial artist. She is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Women's Bantamweight Champion and a multiple-time boxing world champion who defended titles 18 times across three weight classes. She is the first fighter to win major world titles in both professional boxing and mixed martial arts.

Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Holm grew up playing soccer and participating in gymnastics, swimming, and diving. After graduating from Manzano High School in 2000, she attended the University of New Mexico for a year. Her combat sports training began at age 16 in cardio-kickboxing classes under instructor Mike Winkeljohn. In 2001, she won an amateur kickboxing national championship before concluding her amateur kickboxing career with a 6–0–2 record.

Holm began boxing professionally in New Mexico, earning Ring Magazine Female Fighter of the Year honors in 2005 and 2006. In 2008, she became the undisputed welterweight champion by defeating Mary Jo Sanders. After suffering a knockout loss to Anne Sophie Mathis in 2011, Holm avenged the defeat in a 2012 rematch to capture multiple titles. She retired from boxing in 2013 after defeating Mary McGee to focus fully on mixed martial arts.

Holm made her mixed martial arts debut in 2011. She built an undefeated record competing in Bellator MMA and Legacy Fighting Championship, winning the inaugural Legacy FC Women's Bantamweight Championship in 2014 despite breaking her arm during the fight. Later that year, she signed with the UFC, where she won her first two fights against Raquel Pennington and Marion Reneau.

In November 2015 at UFC 193, Holm defeated Ronda Rousey via second-round knockout to win the UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship. She lost the title to Miesha Tate in her first defense at UFC 196. Holm subsequently challenged for the featherweight title against Germaine de Randamie and Cris Cyborg, as well as the bantamweight title against Amanda Nunes. She competed in the UFC until being released at her request in January 2025.

In May 2025, Holm signed with Most Valuable Promotions and returned to professional boxing, winning a lightweight match against Yolanda Ochoa. She went on to challenge WBA female lightweight champion Stephanie Han in January 2026 and May 2026, losing the first fight by unanimous technical decision following an accidental head clash and the rematch by majority decision.