Holly Holm reacts to retirement suggestion from Dana White

20 April 2024

Following her defeat at UFC 300 against Kayla Harrison, former bantamweight champion Holly Holm has rebuffed suggestions of retirement despite UFC President Dana White's comments urging her to consider stepping away from the sport.

Holm suffered a dominant submission loss to promotional newcomer Kayla Harrison at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night. White, during the post-fight press conference, hinted at retirement for Holm, stating that it might be time for her to walk away from her storied career after the defeat to a potentially 'jittery' opponent.

"I would love to see Holly retire," White remarked, acknowledging Harrison's impressive debut and victory over the combat sports legend.

However, in response to the retirement suggestion, Holm, 42, took to her Instagram page on Sunday to address the loss and dismiss any talk of hanging up her gloves.

Reflecting on the disappointing outcome, Holm admitted that the fight did not go as planned despite having the best training camp and support system. She acknowledged Harrison's superiority in the fight while expressing her disappointment in her own performance.

"I have no excuses. I went out there and I lost all focus on the game plan," Holm said in a video shared on Instagram. "All the respect to Kayla, she was the better fighter tonight."

Holm, known for her resilience and determination, emphasized her commitment to self-reflection and improvement. She expressed gratitude to her fans, team, coaches, family, and friends for their unwavering support, reaffirming her intention to bounce back from the setback.

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"I'm healthy. My heart hurts, my ego hurts. But I just wanted to say thank you to all the fans that have always stood by my side," Holm said. "I'll be back."

Before transitioning to MMA in 2011, Holm enjoyed a highly successful career in boxing, where she held titles in three different weight classes and defended her titles 18 times across 38 fights.

Despite the setback at UFC 300, Holm's resilience and determination suggest that retirement is not on the immediate horizon for the decorated combat sports athlete. Fans can expect to see her return to the octagon with renewed vigor and determination in the future.