Coach Winkeljohn Gives Projected Date for Holly Holm’s Return

It won’t be long until Holly Holm makes her Octagon return, according to coach Mike Winkeljohn.

Holly Holm was last booked opposite Raquel Pennington for UFC 243 but shortly prior to the fight date, “The Preacher’s Daughter” was forced to withdraw from the bout due to injury. In an interview with BJPenn.com, the MMA community was provided with an update on when we might see the former bantamweight champion again:

“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,” Coach Winkeljohn said. “We will be seeing her soon.”

Another fighter Holly Holm was recently booked to fight that never came to fruition, albeit for different reasons, is 24-year-old Aspen Ladd. Holm would instead challenge Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight championship at UFC 239 in a bout that saw Holm suffer the first KO loss of her MMA career, and now Team Holm is returning its gaze to the young Ladd.

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

Holly Holm and Raquel Pennington have successfully fought before, with Holm defeating Pennington via split decision in 2015. Both Ladd and Pennington would be sensible potential opponents for the former bantamweight champion upon her return to active competition.