Boxing legend Christy Martin didn’t hold back when discussing one of mixed martial arts’ most famous moments during a recent Sports Illustrated interview with actress Sydney Sweeney, who portrays Martin in an upcoming biopic.
When asked about Holly Holm’s stunning 2015 knockout of UFC star Ronda Rousey, Martin revealed she saw the upset coming from miles away.
“100% was not surprised. Actually, I may have even bet on the fight,”
Martin said, delivering an honest assessment of both competitors involved.
Martin’s evaluation of Rousey was particularly sharp.
“Holly Holm is not a great fighter, but Ronda Rousey is not a very good fighter at all. She was a lot of like hype and media behind her.”
The pioneering female boxer explained her prediction using technical analysis, noting that stylistic matchups determine outcomes.
“I know that styles make fights and Ronda Rousey fights like my style going forward and Holly Holm was just going to sit back and wait for her to make a mistake and knock her out and she did,”
Martin explained.
Sweeney chimed in with her understanding of Rousey’s strategy, noting,
“Ronda just wanted to get everyone on the ground.”
Martin confirmed this assessment, adding that Holm simply wouldn’t allow that to happen.
“Holly Holm wasn’t going to do that. She’s a big girl and she knocked her out,”
Martin said.
The comments offer rare insight from a combat sports veteran who faced Holm years before her UFC career. Martin’s experience in the ring gave her a unique perspective on what would happen when Holm’s boxing skills met Rousey’s judo-based approach.
Martin’s assessment challenges the narrative that surrounded Rousey during her peak popularity, when she was widely considered nearly unbeatable and became a mainstream celebrity. According to Martin, much of Rousey’s reputation was built on media attention rather than pure competing ability, a perception that seemed validated when her career declined sharply after the Holm loss. Martin lost a 10-round unanimous decision to Holly Holm. Martin was beaten by the then 23-year-old.
