A Win Over Cyborg Means More to Holly Holm Than Two UFC Belts

We are just a few days away from the biggest women’s MMA fight since Holly Holm first took the bantamweight title away from Ronda Rousey back in 2015. Holm will take on Cris Cyborg in a huge main event with the featherweight title on the line. The comparisons to the approaching moment has not been lost on the Jackson Wink fighter or her coaches. A win here not only would make Holly Holm a two-division UFC champion, but also the best female fighter in the world. Even if there was no belt on the line, that’s what means more to her.

“I want to do things in this world and in my life that haven’t been done before. If there’s no female that’s done it before, guess what? I want to do it. That’s something that’s always driven me. I’m a driven person. That’s something that really drives me. On the flip side of that coin, I would still want to beat [Cris Cyborg] just as badly even if it wasn’t for the belt. Yes, to be a champion in two divisions is huge but just to win against one of the most highly respected fighters, that’s where the real pride is.”

From the ring to the Octagon. 🥊

The rest for @HollyHolm is history… #UFC219 pic.twitter.com/noz7p6HtZe

— UFC (@ufc) December 27, 2017

“Yes, I would love to be a two division champion but even more so by the time I get to the end of my career, I want to know that I’ve challenged myself and had wins over people that were really good. That I didn’t just protect myself my whole career before I get to the end of it. You can be an undefeated fighter but if you never fought anybody good, can you really feel proud about it? I want to fight the best and beat the best. That’s what I want for me personally.” — Holly Holm speaking to Damon Martin at MMA NYTT.

We still have the weigh-ins to get through, but it looks like we are finally getting the fight that many said should have been the scrap to kick off the entire division. For the record, Holly Holm even said she would grant Cyborg an immediate rematch were she to upset the dominant champion this Saturday at UFC 219. Either way, this is a huge clash between the best female fighters on the planet right now. While we never got to see Cyborg fight Rousey, fighting one of two women to ever beat her is the next best thing.

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 12/27/2017.