Holly "spar master" Holm looked OLD..

[PancraseForever]

Looking really natty there.

 

[Fight Professor]

I actually think that her problem in subsequent fights is that she trained for two years specifically to fight Ronda and that it has gotten her into some bad habits.

Did Holly learn to miss a lot of strikes? She definitely was able to take advantage of Ronda's weaknesses but that does not explain her questionable striking offense and inability to close the range.

 

[platypus44]

Did Holly learn to miss a lot of strikes? She definitely was able to take advantage of Ronda's weaknesses but that does not explain her questionable striking offense and inability to close the range.

She probably learned to assume that her opponent would be moving toward her rather than away from her - that's why everything fell short. She also trained to fight someone in an orthodox stance rather than a southpaw stance - that explains her constantly getting hit by Valentina's rights which were supposed to be three or four feet further away.

 

[Lanx]

I blame Greg Jackson!

 

[The Can Opener]

I blame Greg Jackson!

That is probably part of it. Between rounds he was telling her how good she was doing. All she wanted to do was counter-fight but the other girl was smart enough to make her strike first and it took her completely out of the match. She threw 3 or 4 times more feints then actual strikes and her opponent was not biting on them at all. She should have changed her entire mindset in round 3 4 and 5 but her corner was giving her shit advice. It really did look like she was sparring and the other girl was fighting.

 

[The Moloko man]

As the fight wore on - Holly got cautious due to 1. fear of takedowns, and 2. repeatedly getting hit in the face with crisp rights. She was launching from out of range and missed more kicks than Charlie Brown did when Lucy kept taking the ball away. She was getting gun shy.

I blame Greg Jackson!

 

[platypus44]

I blame Greg Jackson!

He was probably too busy keeping track of Jon Jones's meds to prepare Holly properly for the fight. Holly seemed bewildered by the fact that Valentina was a southpaw.

 

[Fullmount Triangle]

Partially Shevchenko keeping range and Holm not being all that good at closing distance and pressing, and probably her BEING old.

 

[Deleted member 196663]

The problem with picking the favorite is that even when the fighters prove you had it wrong, people still want to justify why they had it right and it was the fighter that didn't execute properly.

 

[Lanx]

I'm at least happy Holly lost to Valentina, Holly losing to Butterface in some weird ass Hail Mary fluke was horrible, and the next 3 months of Butterface champ was even worse.

 

[OneGloveGracie]

Why I meant to say is skill and experience can overcome physical decline until you reach a certain age (probably mid-30s). Learning skills deteriorate at that age as well. In short, Holly has reached her peak and will eventually decline just like every fighter in the age group.

that is true. but considering the division atm, she can be top 5 well into her 40s imo.

In baseball where they have a ton of statistics it is pretty much established that the average peak is 27 or 28 but all sorts of guys peak later due to superb conditioning or the development of new skills. And of course we have the steroid crowd which peaked in its late 30's.

Well obviously I'm generalizing. Some people reach their peaks at 23 and some at 34. Genetics and many other variables play a factor.

 

[FreddyFingers]

The winner won the fight 60/40 in my opinion.
Not decisive.
Not overwhelming.

But deserved the win. Holm could of won with a different strategy.

The winner was mostly counter strikes.
Holm needed better kicks, kicking off of strikes, knees from clinch and more elbows off the break.

Holm is too predictable and methodical needed more creativity, spontaneous movement.

The other girl won because overall she had more significant strikes.

Fight had nothing with being old or any other stupid thing she just got beat by a good striker.

Holm could fight another 3 years and 4-5 fights, probably will.

 

[opie]

NOPE... I felt better at 34 than 25, and I worked in gyms throughout my 20's, and never stopped. HOWEVER, at the end of 35 and right around 36, I felt the first changes.

lol what? when i was 25 i was bullet proof. i'm 34 and feel like shit

 

[danwillbeback]

The winner won the fight 60/40 in my opinion.
Not decisive.
Not overwhelming.

But deserved the win. Holm could of won with a different strategy.

The winner was mostly counter strikes.
Holm needed better kicks, kicking off of strikes, knees from clinch and more elbows off the break.

Holm is too predictable and methodical needed more creativity, spontaneous movement.

The other girl won because overall she had more significant strikes.

Fight had nothing with being old or any other stupid thing she just got beat by a good striker.

Holm could fight another 3 years and 4-5 fights, probably will.

holm decisively loss that fight, she clearly got out struck

holm looked slow and stiff.

 

[lifelessheap]

They've always looked like that. Didn't watch any of her other fights?

This. Holly is garbage against anyone that doesn't bring the fight to her and force her to fight. She is boring.

 

[ameeksingh]

Looking really natty there.

That dude takes testosterone replacement therapy. Just saying.

 

[maddog7]

Not her physical appearance. But a majority of her kicks and punches. Her kicks had no snap; they were all push. Her punches were mostly sparring punches, with a few exceptions. It appears that if you do not run your face into her fists, she may forget to actually land anything. (I missed teh first couple minutes and teh flash knockdown, btw)

Valentina looked young, and pretty. That smile though. I honestly think if she would have turned it up she would have KO'd Holm in pretty devastating fashion. Her punches and kicks were not of a "sparring" nature. The way Holm flicked kicks out with no intention of damage kind of made me want one of those wheel kicks to land flush.

So in conclusion, Holly looks about done IMHO, she may over-train and get to used to sparring, and she's getting older fast... And Valentina has a really pretty smile, and would easily be champion is she wasn't in between weights. She may become a champion even though undersized.

It's been a long time since she beat the champ, bro.
Eight month have passed.
It was a different time, a different world back then.
We were young then...

 

[TSK]

Ronda was the only impressive fight Holly has and likely will have in the UFC. I think a patient Ronda would absolutely destroy her at this point.

What the hell is "a patient Ronda?"

 

[teamfox223]

she's getting older. i was wondering how long she can keep the up after the ronda fight. my question has been answered. she can still beat lot of other fighters ar 135 but most likely wont get the belt again.

 

[OriginMMA]

Watch all her fights not named Ronda Rousey. She looked exactly how she normally does.