Mike Winkeljohn says Holly Holm will return early 2020, wants Aspen Ladd fight

Holly Holm is coming off of a knockout loss to Amanda Nunes, which marked a failed bid to reclaim the UFC bantamweight title.

She was expected to return against Raquel Pennington at UFC 243, but an injury forced her to pull out. Now, according to JacksonWink MMA coach, Mike Winkeljohn, the hope is that Holm will return in early 2020.

“Early next year. She ripped a lot of muscle of her tendon working out one day and it is one of those injuries that you need to let heal,” Winkeljohn told BJPENN.com of Holm. “We will be seeing her soon.”

Although the UFC could decide to re-book Holm vs. Raquel Pennington, which was set to happen at UFC 243, Winkeljohn wants another fight. That is against Aspen Ladd. The two were supposed to fight at UFC 235, but Holm got pulled from that to fight Nunes.

“Aspen Ladd would be great, we would love that fight,” he explained. “Especially after what she said when Holm got the title fight and that fight never happened. So, Holly would love to get into the cage with that young lady. I don’t know, Raquel Pennington is still there.”

In the end, Winkeljohn remains confident Holm will become a UFC champion again and will do so at bantamweight. He says she is committed to fighting at 135 pounds, but if the opportunity presented itself at featherweight, she will take it.

“She moved up to the heavier weight class before for two world titles, and that is what Holly does. People don’t understand, she only had a handful of fights before she fought for world titles in the UFC then moved up out of her weight class to fight for titles. I’m sick and tired of hearing, ‘oh she has some losses’, but who else in the UFC has done that? She has stepped up and fought anyone at whatever weight,” he concluded. 

Who would you like to see Holly Holm fight upon her return from injury?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 11/29/2019.