The much anticipated debut of Holly Holm will have to wait, as the undefeated prospect has been forced to pull out of her scheduled UFC 181 fight against Raquel Pennington due to injury.
The news was first reported by MMAbyNeko.com.br. Combat Press received confirmation of Holm’s withdrawal from the fighter’s management team.
Holm was a highly ranked boxer who held multiple world titles and was considered by many as one of the best female boxers on the planet. She has since moved on to a career as a mixed martial artist and has compiled an impressive 7-0 record, with six of those wins coming inside the distance, including a fifth-round TKO over Juliana Werner in April to claim the Legacy FC women’s bantamweight championship.
During her title fight against Werner, Holm broke her left arm and was forced to sit out until her scheduled fight against Pennington. This latest injury remains undisclosed, though early reports suggest it is a neck injury.
No opponent has been announced as a replacement to face Pennington, who is coming off a split decision loss to the fast-rising Jessica Andrade.
UFC 181 takes place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The first two fights of the night will air live on UFC Fight Pass before the show moves to Fox Sports 1 for the remaining prelims. The main card will air live on pay-per-view as champion Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler headline in a rematch. Their first fight, which was for the vacant UFC welterweight title, is a strong contender for “Fight of the Year.” In the co-main event, Anthony Pettis puts his belt on the line against No. 1 contender Gilbert Melendez.