Holly Holm is not happy after her rematch with Stephanie Han on Saturday night (May 30, 2026) ended with judges giving Han a majority decision win.
Holm and Han were fighting for the second time in the co-main event of Most Valuable Promotions’ MVPW-03 event. The first time they fought back in January, the fight ended on a headbutt that forced things to the scorecards, earning Han a clear 69-65, 69-64, and 68-65 win.
The rematch on Saturday night was not as clear, with Holm outlanding Han 107 to 70 across ten rounds. While Han started out strong, Holm clearly took over the fight to the point that the event’s commentators expected the former UFC champion to be announced the winner. They were shocked to hear it go to Han with 96-94, 96-94, and 95-95 scores.
MMA Mania scored the fight 96-94 for Holm.
“Honestly, I feel like I won that fight,” Holm said to a chorus of boos from Han’s hometown crowd in El Paso, Texas.
“I do think that she had a few rounds, but not six,” she added at the post-fight presser. “You have to win six rounds in order to win a ten round fight. I don’t give her six rounds. I feel it in my heart, I won.”
“Here’s what’s frustrating about it: a lot of these judges haven’t fought before,” Holm added. “And you leave a piece of yourself in there every time. And then it’s just up to them to take it away from you if they want. And that’s what’s frustrating, because every fight, how you you perform in this fight dictates what doors open for you … you pour your heart and soul into it. And then what’s next? What are my options? When you have a win, more options. When you have a loss, not as many.”
“And that’s what’s frustrating. It’s easy for them to go home and sleep at night. But every fight, you put so much into it. And when it comes out like that? If I didn’t feel like I did enough, I wouldn’t be saying that. I felt like I won the fight.”
The MVPW commentary booth had suggested following the fight that it might be the 44-year-old Holm’s final great performance. When Ariel Helwani asked her in the ring if this loss was the end of the line, she sounded unsure.
“I want to keep fighting, if it’s fair, kind of,” Holm said. “It’s a little disheartening sometimes when you put a lot of work in. And I have dreams in this sport and everything, and it’s just kind of frustrating.”
There had been talk of Holm potentially fighting Katie Taylor in a big money match-up, but this unfortunate turn on the judges’ scorecards has likely nixed that. Holm is now 1-2 since returning to boxing in 2025, and may not have many appealing avenues left to pursue in the ring.
On the plus side, her promoters at MVP has made it clear that they like Holly as a potential MMA opponent for Gina Carano down the line. MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian hopes Carano still has something to prove after her 17 second loss to Ronda Rousey two weeks ago, and floated “The Preacher’s Daughter” as a perfect opponent. So this clears the path for that.
