Holly Holm signs extension with UFC, next fight could be announced soon
Women's bantamweight champion Holly Holm has signed a multi-fight contract extension with the UFC following her second-round knockout over Ronda Rousey in November.
Lenny Fresquez, Holm's longtime manager and promoter confirmed the deal to FOX Sports on Monday following an initial report from ESPN.
"Yes, we are very happy. Very happy and thankful to Lorenzo (Fertitta), it was a long process, it took us a very long time but it's a lot of patience and persistence," Fresquez told FOX Sports. "I think Lorenzo said it best and I'm going to quote him -- we didn't get what we wanted, they didn't get what they wanted, but we settled in the middle and we're content. We're very happy and we look forward to them building Holly to the superstar she is."
Holm and her team have been in negotiations with the UFC since she knocked Rousey out at UFC 193, where she was crowned the second women's champion at 135 pounds in the promotion.
Holm initially signed with the UFC in June 2014 with a multi-fight deal to bring the former boxing champion to the top mixed martial arts organization in the world.
She quickly wrapped up her first two wins before being matched up with Rousey at the card in Australia that drew more than 50,000.
Holm's new deal with the UFC also included negotiations on her next fight, which her manager expects to be announced in the near future.
"The UFC will be having an announcement this week and they'll be announcing it," Fresquez said about Holm's next fight. "I'm not at liberty to discuss the contract and that was part of the contract so I can't discuss any of that but the UFC will be making an announcement this week I'm pretty sure."
Holm could face Rousey in a rematch later this year or a potential fight with top contender Miesha Tate is still a possibility as well. Holm has stated several times that she would like to fight sooner rather than later, but the decision will ultimately fall to her team and the UFC to decide the timeline.
UFC president Dana White told the LA Times on Monday that they still haven't made any decisions regarding her next opponent, and he hasn't even spoken to Rousey about the potential rematch yet.
"I honestly don't know what we're going to do," White said. "I've got to talk to Ronda. I haven't had one business conversation with her since her fight."
White did say "it's possible" Holm could fight someone else in the interim as opposed to sitting and waiting for Rousey to return in July. If that happens, Tate would logically be the most likely candidate to land the title shot after winning her past four fights in a row in the UFC.
Whether it's Rousey, Tate or someone else, Holm will now be fighting on a new contract befitting the UFC women's bantamweight champion.
