Holly Holm and Raquel Pennington met in the UFC octagon on July 22, 2017, at UFC 213. The fight was for the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship, which Holm had won by knocking out Ronda Rousey in 2015. Pennington was the No. 1 contender at the time.
The fight was a close one, with both fighters having their moments. Holm landed some early strikes, but Pennington was able to weather the storm and come back strong. In the second round, Pennington landed a number of hard punches that hurt Holm. Holm was able to survive the round, but she was clearly not at her best.
The third round was the most decisive. Pennington continued to land punches, and Holm was unable to mount much of an offense. In the final minute of the round, Pennington landed a series of punches that knocked Holm to the ground. The referee stepped in and stopped the fight, giving Pennington the victory by TKO.
The win was a major upset, and it put Pennington in the spotlight as a legitimate contender for the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship. Holm, meanwhile, was left to pick up the pieces after her first loss in the UFC.
The fight was a great example of two evenly matched-fighters going to war. In the end, Pennington’s superior striking and conditioning were the difference. The win was a major turning point in her career, and it put her on the path to becoming a UFC champion.