Holly Holm lays out plans to retire with title

Holly Holm hopes to retire with the UFC women’s bantamweight championship once again wrapped around her waist.

Holm captured the UFC bantamweight title in 2015 by knocking out the formerly unbeaten Ronda Rousey in one of the biggest upsets in MMA history. She then surrendered the title in her first defense, succumbing to a fifth-round rear-naked choke courtesy of Miesha Tate.

Since then, Holm has tried three times to reclaim UFC gold, losing featherweight title fights against Germaine de Randamie and Cris Cyborg, and a bantamweight title fight to Amanda Nunes. At 38, however, her dream of reclaiming the belt is still alive.

In the main event of UFC Fight Island 4 this Saturday, Holm will attempt to rocket back into title contention with a win over Mexico’s Irene Aldana. Her hope is that, if she’s victorious, she’ll be fighting for the belt again in the near future.

“My goal is to have the title,” Holm told MMA Junkie at the UFC Fight Island 4 media day (via MMA Mania). “I want to retire with the title. I’m truly a big believer in the fact that, if you’re not trying to fight for a title, what are you fighting for? If you’re not trying to be No. 1, what are you fighting for? That’s the difference between somebody who just wants a participation ribbon and a gold medal. I’m always going for gold.”

Holm, who is also an 18-time boxing champion, will enter the UFC Fight Island 4 main event with a decision win over Raquel Pennington in the rear-view mirror. Her next most recent fight was her failed title bid to Nunes, one of the most dominant champions in the sport, which came by way of first-round TKO.

Do you think Holly Holm will ever win UFC gold again? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.