Dominant champions can be a benefit and a curse for the promotion that features them. According to Holly Holm, women’s MMA would benefit if champion Ronda Rousey was not presumed to be unbeatable.
“I think it would benefit greatly,” Holm told MMAFighting.com in a recent interview. “I think when you see one person do well or kind of bring down the No. 1, then everybody thinks, well if she can do that, I can, too.”
Rousey has compiled a 10-0 professional record since she joined MMA in 2011. She is 4-0 in the UFC, with four title defences against tough competitors whom she ragdolled en route to victory. As she continues to add to her streak, her aura continues to swell and forces her opponents to perceive her as unbeatable – sort of like Anderson Silva before he surrendered his title to Chris Weidman.
“Ronda has run through everybody in the division,” Holm said. “So I think it’s kind of hard when people get in there and stare across the ring and think, Wow, can I really beat her? And you really have to believe you can or else you’re not going to be able to do it.”
While Holm understands that Rousey deserves the recognition for her accomplishments to date, she refuses to see her as an invincible champion, as that would weaken her mental preparedness for the contest.
“She’s going to be hard to beat. There’s no bones about it. But you also can’t put her on a pedestal so high that you don’t believe you can do well also.”
Transcription taken from MMAFighting.com.
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