Former UFC women's bantamweight champion Holly Holm underwent successful knee surgery on Wednesday to repair an injured meniscus and as a result will be out for the remainder of the year. Holm will need approximately four weeks of recovery, though her agent says she is eyeing a return in early 2019.
A former champion boxer as well, Holm made her mixed martial arts debut on March 4, 2011. Her highest profile MMA fight to date came against defending women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. A massive underdog heading into the fight, Holm won the fight via knockout in the second round with a high kick to the neck-head area, ending Rousey's undefeated streak and three-year reign as champion. In her first title defense, Holm lost to Miesha Tate at UFC 196.
Holm has since fought Valentina Shevchenko, Germaine de Randamie, Bethe Correia, and Cris Cyborg. Holm's most recent fight came against Megan Anderson at UFC 225, which she won via unanimous decision. The 36-year-old is 12-4 overall and 5-4 in the UFC. Holm is hoping to return against Amanda Nunes in early 2019 to compete for the 135-pound belt, according to Fresquez.
Nunes, meanwhile, is preparing to fight Cris "Cyborg" Justino
for the 145-pound belt on December 29 at UFC 232.