A UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship showdown between “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey and Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm will take place earlier than originally planned. Rousey and Holm, first set to clash at UFC 195, meet at UFC 193 on November 15th in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
UFC President Dana White announced the change tonight, which comes as a direct result of a thumb injury sustained by UFC Welterweight Champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler, who had been scheduled to face off against “The Natural Born Killer” Carlos Condit in the former UFC 193 main event.
Rousey (12-0-0) and Holm (9-0-0) were first matched up just one week ago, but Holm will now have significantly less time to prepare for the dominant reigning champion. Rousey most recently destroyed Bethe “Pitbull” Correia at UFC 190 earlier this month, while Holm improved her UFC record to 2-0 with a Unanimous Decision victory over Marion “The Belizean Bruiser” Reneau at UFC Fight Night 71. In spite of her elite striking pedigree, Holm enters the title tilt with Rousey as a massive underdog.
With Rousey and Holm moved to the UFC 193 main event, UFC 195 will now likely be headlined by a UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship rematch between Joanna Jędrzejczyk (10-0-0) and Claudia “Claudinha” Gadelha (13-1-0). The 115-pound stars first clashed at UFC on FOX 13 in December when Jędrzejczyk eked out a contentious Split Decision win. She captured UFC title gold in March and retained her belt by stopping Jessica Penne in the UFC Fight Night 69 main event. Gadelha dominated former WSOF champ Jessica “Jag” Aguilar at UFC 190, but suffered a torn ligament in her finger.
The planned Jędrzejczyk-Gadelha bout hinges on Gadelha’s recovery from her injury. UFC 195 takes place on January 2nd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The UFC 193 battle between Rousey and Holm is now set for November 15th at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
(Photo Credit: UFC)
A few months wasn’t going to help Holm. Jackson will have the same plan. She will try and stop the takedowns and keep her distance. Her only chance is to frustrate Ronda by point fighting with her boxing. She can’t even kick since Ronda will shoot at any chance.
Amazing how far WMMA has come in such a short time. Not only is Rousey again the UFC’s “go-to” girl to salvage yet another main event, but now Jedrzejczyk v. Gadelha is being elevated to headline the perennially massive New Year’s card. The monumental significance of this sea change cannot be overstated. And yes, Rousey must be credited for having created all of this opportunity – for herself, for the other women in the UFC and all of WMMA. 50 years from now, Ronda Rousey will be spoken of with reverence – like Jim Thorpe, Jackie Robinson, and even Muhammad Ali. And she will deserve it.