Holly Holm: I need to believe again

The terrible pain of losing was plain on Holly Holm’s face at the UFC on FOX 20 post-fight press conference. Five months ago she was the UFC women’s bantamweight champion. Now she has lost two in a row for the first time in her combat sports career.

‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ was asked what was next.

Just get back in there and go forward, said Holm, as transcribed by Matt Erickson and Justin Park for MMAjunkie. I know I’m capable of more. I think I just need to believe in myself a little more. I know I can do more than what I performed like tonight. Valentina is really tough. We know that. We knew everything – counter-punching, clinch, trips, all that … it’s not like I haven’t been taught the right things. It all comes down to my performance, and it wasn’t great tonight.

I believe in myself. But I think that I need to believe in what I’ve learned, even recently, and not be so hesitant with what’s coming at me. I think in my last fight (vs. Tate), I was hesitant and thinking, ‘I’m fighting a wrestler, I need to watch out for the takedowns.’ Well guess what? I’ve learned a lot, and I know a lot in these areas, as well. …

I do believe in myself. I always believe in myself, otherwise I wouldn’t get in there. I believe I can do it. I think I just need to know that I’m learning and I need to perform with it. It’s there. The tools are there. I just need to do the right things.

I’ve never in my career, be it boxing or MMA, felt like I’m at the top because I know there’s always someone else aspiring to be the best. When I first came into MMA, I wanted to have titles in both. I had drive behind me. I still do. I never look at the division and think I made it to the top and I’m just going to stay there. There’s always somebody hungry, there’s always someone getting better. That’s why people love to watch fighting – you never know what’s going to happen. It’s really unpredictable.

I know there’s competitive girls in this sport and there’s always somebody coming in. The top five aren’t the same top five that they were. I feel like especially this being the first women’s division in the UFC, everybody looks at that and says, ‘I want to be there,’ and so they work hard. And it’s created a lot of competition in our weight class – which is good. I want to feel like I’m up against the best. I know these girls are tough. That’s what makes a win great, a loss devastating, but …