“Fail to prepare and prepare to fail” seems to have been the motto for Holly Holm’s training camp for UFC 189.
Holm sent the MMA community into a frenzy by knocking out Ronda Rousey with a beautiful head kick at UFC 193 to claim the UFC women’s bantamweight belt.
During the post fight press conference, the new baddest woman on the planet opened up about the mental battle she went through in the build up to the fight. Holm explained that there were several times during the camp where she was reduced to tears through sheer frustation.
“This fight was a lot for me mentally. I couldn’t tell you how many times I cried in the gym leading up to this fight. It was a lot to take in, but those kind of fights where the loss is devastating but a win is that sweet of a victory.”
“It’s hard to put yourself out there sometimes. A lot of people thought this (title shot) came early. I didn’t expect it to come this early, but if you don’t take the opportunities that are in front of you, how are you really expected to get somewhere? As soon as it came I just said ‘ great, let’s do it.’
Holm admitted that Rousey’s superstar status did cause self doubt to creep into her mindset, but she explained that this only spurred her on to work harder in the gym and perfect her game ahead of her biggest MMA fight of her career.
“I don’t think you can prepare yourself if you’re not aware of what can happen. She’s been the most dominant athlete. There were days I got to the gym, didn’t perform well. sat in my car and cried and thought ‘you know what? If I perform like that, it’s not going to get me a win’
“So I need to come back tonight, I need to perfect those things and get better.”
Holm added that a rematch against Rousey would make the most sense for her next trip to the Octagon.
