Dana White: Holly Holm Will Fight Again Before Ronda Rousey Rematch

It appears that UFC bantamweight queen Holly Holm will get her wish to stay active, after all.

During an appearance on UFC Tonight, Dana White revealed that Holm will fight against a different opponent before facing Ronda Rousey again. Previously, the UFC boss had been adamant that Rousey would get a rematch with Holm upon returning to the Octagon. Their return date was expected to take place at UFC 200 in July.

“I think that if we didn't make the rematch, me and Lorenzo [Fertitta] should probably lose our promoters’ license if we didn’t make that rematch,” White said on the “Mike and Mike” show last month. “Yeah, that fight's going to happen. I don't know when, but that's the fight that will happen.”

It is currently unknown who Holm’s next opponent will be, although it is widely believed that Miesha Tate, who Holm’s camp has requested, will get the next 135-pound title shot. Tate thought she had attained No. 1 contender’s status by defeating Jessica Eye at UFC on Fox 16 in July, but the promotion eventually changed plans and booked Holm against Rousey at UFC 193.

Holm pulled off 2015’s biggest upset in Melbourne, knocking out Rousey with a head-kick and follow-up punches 59 seconds into round two of their headlining encounter at UFC 193. Rousey is scheduled to begin filming two movies in the coming months, and she was recently booked to host Saturday Night Live on Jan. 23.

“You will see Ronda Rousey fight again," White said. "Ronda has dedicated the last three-plus years to working hard here. Not just fighting, but promoting and taking the sport and the UFC to a whole other level. Ronda has some well-deserved time off, but she will fight this year."