Women’s bantamweight division put on notice by longtime staples

The women of the Ultimate Fighting Championship were on full display during the most recent UFC Fight Night on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi Saturday, Oct. 3.

Bantamweights Holly Holm and Germaine de Randamie have the mixed martial arts world reeling after two victories of spectacular fashion.

It was the second of five straight events from the private island secured by UFC President Dana White.

The event series will conclude with a lightweight title fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje.

The 38-year-old Holm, the former bantamweight champ who knocked out legend Ronda Rousey with the head kick heard ‘round the world, put forth an all-out effort that left many in awe of her movement.

At the conclusion of the fight, Holm said, she just now feels as though she has become a “complete mixed martial artist.”

Holm used her championship-level boxing cardio as she stayed on her horse, circling away from the left hook of her opponent, Irene Aldana.

The No. 2 ranked Holm admitted after the fight, she went in under the impression that she was fighting herself. This was the first five-round fight for the No. 6 ranked Aldana.

Despite Aldana having the second-best takedown defense in all of UFC history behind only light heavyweight Jon Jones, Holm took the fight to the ground five times, once in every round.

When the fight was on the feet, Holm used side kicks to the body and left high kicks to keep Aldana from pressing forward and using her heavy hands.

The veteran turned the pressure on the later the fight went as her output to the head increased as the bout wore on.

Round 1 : 8-3 Holm

Round 2 : 10-5 Holm

Round 3 : 12-4 Holm

Round 4 : 14-13 Holm

Round 5 : 37-13 Holm

Total : 81-38 Holm

Moreover, Holm landed twice as many total (187-92) and significant strikes (157-69) as her opponent, landing over 50 percent in both.

Holm (14-5) is on a two-fight win streak, with both wins taking place in this calendar year.

Her last loss on record is to current bantamweight and featherweight champion Amanda Nunes.

In fact, all five of her losses came to either former or current UFC champions.

The loss brings an end to Aldana’s (12-6) two-fight win streak.

Number one ranked Germaine de Randamie waited nearly 12 years into her career to secure her first submission victory but it couldn’t have come at a better time.

The former champion submitted No. 4 ranked Julianna Peña in the third round of their main card bout.

As anticipated, de Randmie had excellent use of her 71-inch reach keeping Peña at the end of her punches.

Peña, who is the first woman to win The Ultimate Fighter, was often hesitant in the first round and wasn’t able to get inside of de Randamie’s reach enough to do significant damage.

Following the first round, her corner informed her she may have to “eat one on the way in” in order to catch de Randamie.

Peña obliged and pressed forward coming out to the round two opening bell, clipping GDR before pressing her against the cage for some clinchwork.

It was no surprise that experts have argued if there was a weakness in de Randamie’s game, it’s on the ground.

Peña secured takedowns in every round.

In the third round, Peña looked to be taking control of the fight before de Randamie was able to lock in a guillotine choke.

After some struggling and confusion as to whether Peña tapped or not, de Randamie put Peña to sleep, securing her first career submission win and a $50,000 fight bonus along the way.

Peña is a blue-belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

At the conclusion of the fight, Peña had outstruck de Randamie by one strike, leaving some fans to wonder what a decision would have looked like.

Total StrikesSignificant Strikes

Round 123-12 (GDR)20-8 (GDR)

Round 230-19 (Pena)11-6 (Pena)

Round 316-15 (Pena)11-8 (GDR)

It was the first fight for de Randamie (10-4) since losing a decision to Nunes for the bantamweight title. In fact, both of de Randamie’s losses over the last nine years were both to Nunes.

It’s the second loss in the last three fights for Peña (10-4), the other loss was to flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko.

Both of these fights were separated by a heavyweight co-main event that saw newcomer Carlos Felipe defeat Yorgan de Castro via decision.

En route to victory, Felipe made it painfully obvious he is not here to make friends but he’s here to climb the ranks and ruffle feathers along the way.