Holly Holm Dares Ronda Rousey: “Let’s Run It Back—The Octagon Is Waiting!”

Veteran combat-sports icon Holly Holm has poured gasoline on the long-simmering rumor mill by declaring she is “still here” and willing to face Ronda Rousey again at a moment’s notice, reigniting talk of a rematch that could headline a future marquee UFC card. Holm’s openness comes ten years after her seismic head-kick knockout of Rousey at UFC 193, the upset that ended the Olympian’s unbeaten run and altered the trajectory of women’s MMA forever. Since then the former bantamweight champion has compiled a résumé that includes main-event wins over Irene Aldana and Yana Santos while weathering narrow decision losses to top contenders—proof, she insists, that her skill set is still elite. According to Holm, the timing for “Holly Holm vs Ronda Rousey 2” could be perfect: Rousey has reportedly been training in earnest for a competitive return, and the UFC is hunting for a legacy matchup to anchor its spring 2026 pay-per-view schedule. For Holm, now 44, the stakes are clear: avenge subsequent setbacks, recapture divisional gold, and cement her Hall-of-Fame standing in two sports. The New Mexico native is also juggling another headline-grabbing pivot—an official comeback to professional boxing under Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions banner. Holm is slated to fight undefeated Mexican lightweight Yolanda Vega Ochoa in Anaheim on June 28, pursuing a WBA ranking that could earn her an unprecedented dual-sport title shot later in the year. Industry insiders say the crossover storyline only adds intrigue: should Holm defeat Vega and lure Rousey back into the Octagon, she would stand alone as the only athlete to headline pay-per-views in both boxing and MMA within the same calendar year. With women’s combat sports enjoying record streaming numbers, analysts predict that Holm’s quest could generate gate receipts and subscription spikes rivaling her 2015 breakthrough. Beyond potential accolades, Holm’s renewed visibility offers a jolt to the UFC’s women’s bantamweight division, which has lacked a dominant champion since Amanda Nunes retired. A triumphant Holm would set up fresh contenders like Mayra Bueno Silva or Raquel Pennington, while a victorious Rousey comeback could script the franchise feel-good story of the decade. For now, Holm’s message is clear: whether it’s a boxing ring in June or the bright lights of a UFC cage this winter, she plans to be in title conversations on multiple fronts. “I never left—I just haven’t had my next big moment yet,” she said in this week’s media scrum. If matchmakers oblige, that moment—and one of combat sports’ most anticipated sequels—might arrive sooner than fans think.