Holly Holm is willing to do something Ronda Rousey said she absolutely would not.
The new UFC women's bantamweight champion said in a media scrum before UFC 194 that she'd be willing to move up in weight to fight Cris Cyborg, the dominant Invicta FC featherweight champion. Rousey, who Holm beat for the UFC belt, refused to go up in weight for the megafight, because of Cyborg's past performance-enhancing drug use.
"I know with the UFC, they don't have that division," Holm said. "So, if that was something that they were going to put together, I'm not against it. I'm open to it."
A bout between Rousey and Cyborg was thought to be the biggest potential fight the UFC could put on. That has changed, of course, since Holm dethroned Rousey with a second-round head kick knockout last month at UFC 193. Holm vs. Cyborg would still be a draw, but likely not on the same level.
Cyborg, who has not lost in 10 years and destroyed every recent opponent in her path, had been planning on attempting to get down to 135 pounds for the fight with Rousey. She was going to fight for Invicta at 140 pounds as a test run next month, but when Rousey got knocked off Cyborg decided not to cut the weight. It doesn't appear like she ever will, which might be the most prudent thing considering her size.
Cyborg, the former Strikeforce featherweight champion, is under contract with UFC parent company Zuffa with the plan that she would eventually cut to 135 to fight Rousey. It's unclear what will happen moving forward, but Holm said she would consider taking a fight with Cyborg at a heavier weight class if it makes sense.
"I'm not against options for other fights," Holm said. "I don't know how high I would go. I have fought at heavier weights in boxing. It kind of changes things with MMA, because there's wrestling. Boxing, I think, is a little different, because you're not dealing with somebody's strength and weight on you as far as wrestling and grappling. But I do feel like I'm a bigger 135er. I don't know. I guess I would just have to see if whatever would unfold if that was an option."
Holm, 34, fought at 154, 145 and 138 as a boxer. She has only ever competed at 135 in MMA.
While Rousey has feuded with Cyborg for years, with nasty things being said in both directions, Holm has a good relationship with the knockout artist. The two filmed a movie together over the summer and became fast friends.
Rousey's argument has been that if Cyborg could make 145 pounds on steroids (she tested positive in 2011), then she can make 135 without them. Holm doesn't think Cyborg should have to drop weight classes if she doesn't feel like she would be able to do so in a healthy manner.
"I love Cyborg," Holm said. "She's awesome. I finally got to get to know her this year. Whatever Cyborg wants to do, I support it. You want to stay at a heavier weight, you don't want to go to 140? Whatever she wants to do, I'm all about it. I haven't really thought about it too much."