Cris Cyborg Keeps Her Belt in a Brutal Battle With Holly Holm at UFC 219

“She was an amazing fighter.”

Maxim Staff

Dec 31, 2017

Saturday’s UFC 219 took place exactly one year after Ronda Rousey’s embarrassingly short losing last bout in the Octagon. Holly Holm—the fighter who first showed the path to beating the Rowdy one—went up against powerhouse featherweight champ Cris Cyborg, and she made Cyborg work for her full five-round victory.

Judges ultimately awarded Cyborg a unanimous decision, but the Brazilian MMA star knew she’d finally faced a real challenge in Holm. “She was an amazing fighter,” Cyborg said later.

Cyborg v. Holm — Brutal shot from Cyborg

Holm came out confident and initially looked surprisingly dominant, but early on Cyborg’s iron right hand took a toll on Holm’s face.

Holm, an experienced boxer, tried to shift between clinching and kickboxing distance, but Cyborg’s predatory calm in the ring had her sit back and stalk her opponent. She kept taking a toll with wicked flurries and with coming back harder every time Holm moved in.

Near the end both women looked thoroughly worked over, but Holm had the worst of it by far. Fightmetric gave Cyborg 116 strikes to Holm’s 65.

On social media some fans gave Holm respect for a well-fought fight.

Dudes behind a keyboard bashing Holly Holm, yet she gave Cyborg the toughest test of her career and did something their Cheeto covered fingers would never have the guts to do. MMA fans can be the worst some times. #UFC219

— Joshua Sánchez (@jnsanchez) December 31, 2017

https://twitter.com/donjchambers/status/947504412053983232

Others were not so kind.

https://twitter.com/beatlesjad/status/947504029222961153

McGregor will never fight Khabib much less "sleep him" it is the most horrible stylistic matchup for him and everyone with half a brain cell knows this.

Cyborg dominated and if you want to act like Holm was competitive you're being fucking biased #UFC219

— Hater Bets DGF (@BigToneTrader) December 31, 2017