They say Karma always bites back, for Bethe Correia it only took ten seconds to receive her comeuppance.
Holly Holm and Bethe Correia fought at UFC Fight Night 111 in Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang on Saturday.
The first two rounds of the fight followed a pattern of Holm dominance due to her strong kicking game. The 35-year-old landed two kicks of note in the first round before a similar pattern emerged in the second round.
Both fighters were notably timid, in these first two rounds, with even the referee unusually urging them to be less cagey in their approaches.
“I respect the game plan, but we’ve got to make something happen. Make contact,” said referee Mark Goddard.
Correia, on the back of these urgings from the ref, confidently beckoned Holm to attack her. She opened her arms wide as if to say “Hit me, I dare you.”
Correia’s confidence was short lived as Holm called the Brazilians bluff to deliver a bone-crunching head kick that brought Correia crashing down to earth (and her knees) before the American delivered the knockout punch to seal the victory.
"The Ronda Rousey head-kick comes back!"
Gets taunted 🤔
Head-kick 💪
Left hook 👊@HollyHolm with a stunning finish at #UFCSingapore! 😱 pic.twitter.com/fCPv4SnxFV— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) June 17, 2017
It looks even sorer from this angle, what a hit.
The preacher's daughter is back! #UFC #FightNight @SONYESPN @SonySIX @HollyHolm pic.twitter.com/XiituOsge9
— 🎭 (@AultarrEgo) June 17, 2017
Holm, famous for knocking out Ronda Rousey by head kick knockout in 2015 hasn’t lived up to the standards she set for herself with that triumph since.
But, the American was back at her head-kicking best on Saturday.
When you get your first win since 2015. 😁 #UFCSingapore pic.twitter.com/EErqDxEC5C
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) June 17, 2017
She has righted the wrongs of her past losses with this win, and will find herself right back in the mix at women’s bantamweight.