Holly Holm’s knockout victory over Ronda Rousey at UFC 193

Holly Holm defeated Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia, via a second-round knockout. The event took place at Etihad Stadium, where organizers expanded the capacity to 75,000 seats. This crowd size exceeded the 55,724 fans that attended UFC 129 in Toronto. The match overshadowed the men’s fights as the UFC brought its showcase to Australia. Rousey, a former judo Olympian with 12 unbeaten UFC fights, suffered her first professional loss. Holm entered the match as the challenger with a 10-0 record.

The first round featured a fast pace where Holm landed strikes to the head of the champion. Rousey finished the opening frame with a bloodied nose. During the second round, Rousey attempted to push Holm around the ring until Holm landed a head kick. This strike sent Rousey to the canvas. Holm jumped on the prone fighter and delivered several head blows before the referee intervened. Dana White confirmed Rousey required transport to a hospital because she was knocked out. Holm described the victory as "priceless" following the match. In the other title bout, Joanna Jedrzejczyk outlasted Valerie Letourneau in a five-round slugfest. Jedrzejczyk, a six-time Muay Thai world champion, won a unanimous points decision after Letourneau was slowed by a powerful front kick to the face. Mark Hunt won his rematch with Antonio Silva by technical knockout, while Robert Whittaker earned a decision win over Uriah Hall.

Training and technical failure

Holm and Rousey utilized different training approaches and physical profiles. The training teams provided different levels of support.

Holm prepared for the fight with an intensive training camp involving Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn. She spent more time in the gym for this fight than she had for any previous bout. One physicist calculated that Holm’s foot moved at an average speed of 6.3 meters per second during the head kick. The recoil of her foot was approximately 1.6 meters per second. This strike caused Rousey to suffer injuries to her lips and jaw. Rousey admitted her fear of failure increased with every fight. You likely already know that Rousey’s mainstream fame came from appearances on "Conan" and "The Ellen Show." Rousey’s conditioning failed her as she struggled to breathe through her mouth early in the match. She also looked emaciated at the weigh-in. Her coach, Edmond Tarverdyan, told her she did great during the first round break. Ali Abdelaziz noted that Holm arrived in the cage with an army of trainers while Rousey came alone. Greg Jackson told his team to act professional during the celebration. While Rousey attempted to close the distance and swarm Holm with power, the challenger used her experience to keep the champion at bay.

Financial stakes and fallout

The UFC relies on big-time events headlined by stars like Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey to pay back the $1.8 billion in loans to the creditors who provided the money for the company’s expansion. McGregor fought thrice in 2016 and drew more than 1.6 million pay-per-view buys each time. The organization faces significant financial pressure from several creditors. McGregor announced his retirement during the summer and applied for a boxing license in California in November. Rousey’s loss to Holm led to a period of absence before she fought Amanda Nunes at UFC 207. Nunes defeated Rousey in 48 seconds. Rousey also lost to Nunes after losing her title. Does a single loss change the trajectory of a superstar forever? Rousey was the highest paid athlete on the UFC, male or female. She starred in several movies and hosted Saturday Night Live. The UFC released promotional videos for UFC 207 that focused on Rousey, a WME client. Nunes said she was okay with Rousey promoting because it sells pay-per-views.