Mike Winkeljohn: Holly Holm will ‘shock the world again’ against Cris Cyborg

[OctoberRed]

Coach Mike Winkeljohn is confident that Holly Holm can hand UFC featherweight champion Cris Cyborg her first MMA loss since her professional debut when they meet in the main event of UFC 219.

Winkeljohn drew parallels between the Cyborg bout, and Holm’s devastating knockout victory over Ronda Rousey at UFC 193, on the latest episode of Submission Radio.

“You know what, behind the scenes when we fought Ronda we were pretty confident that we had the proper game plan to beat Ronda,” said Winkeljohn.

“Everybody thought we were crazy. Everyone thought Holly was crazy when she first fought Christy Martin back in the early days in boxing because Christy Martin knocked everyone out, and Holly made that look easy.

“And she had what I call that ‘Christy Martin moment’ where Christy tried to throw a punch at her, Holly slipped under and then Christy almost went through the ropes.

“Guess what? Ronda did the same thing, and it’s gonna happen in the Cris Cyborg fight, she’s gonna have that same moment.”

Former UFC bantamweight champion, Holm, will be notably smaller than the Brazilian on Dec. 30. According to Winkeljohn, being the bigger fighter could work against Cyborg as the fight goes on.

Although the veteran coach does predict that the champion will make weight, he claimed that he wouldn’t want the fight to go ahead if Cyborg was unable to hit the scales at 145 lbs unless Holm was given an additional point on all of the judges’ scorecards and compensation.

“Well, you know what, Cris, I’d assume she’s always had to cut a lot of weight to get there and stuff, and there’s always been people looking the other way.

You know, I personally think that sometimes fighters
don’t make it, and in this case she’s got to make weight cause it’s a world title fight.

“But if she wasn’t gonna make weight, there’s no way I’d take the fight unless the judges gave us a point on everybody’s scorecard. You know, the first round you just lost a point and lost penalty moneywise, it’s just one of those situations.

“But with that being said, I think Cris will make weight. She has to it’s a world title fight. I think she’ll have a little bit more size than Holly that way, but you’ve got to be careful what you wish for, it depends on how long the fight lasts.”

Winkeljohn predicted that Holm would claim a late stoppage over the champion.

“Oh, Holly’s stopping Cris Cyborg probably later in the fight. You know, round four, round five she’s gonna finish the fight, shock the world again.”

[Combat Talk Radio]

Cyborg walks through Holm's punches, brutally stops her in three.

[OctoberRed]

Cyborg walks through Holm's punches, brutally stops her in three.

This would be the first real boxer she faces. Lets see how Cyborg's boxing future really looks like.

[Combat Talk Radio]

This would be the first real boxer she faces. Lets see how Cyborg's boxing future really looks like.

I just don't think it matters. Holm was completely exposed by Cupcake - Cupcake, of all fighters - in almost the same way Sage Northcutt was exposed by Bryan Barbarena. Then Shevchenko confirmed the exposure.

I'm a HUGE Holm fan and have been since her boxing days, but the Rousey win got her believing things that aren't there. She doesn't have power. She has accumulation, timing, speed and accuracy. That works against normal females; I don't see it working against Cyborg to keep her off for very long. Especially if she comes in the cage 145+. If Cyborg gets her off her feet she's done.

Cyborg is too solid for a night of jabbing - and she's never lost on her feet. Her knockout wins were all strike-based which is how she knew she would have destroyed Rousey too.

I'll be cheering for her, but it's grim.

[WesternChamp]

i might put some money on holm just because...

cyborg is the favorite and i think she's gonna win but holm will be the first real fighter cyborg has faced. holm is very technical. she used to a boxer and kick boxer so she's not new to this. most of the female fighters in mma barely just got into fighting. holm is a different breed.

if holm can take cyborg's punches or can find a way to neutralize it then holm has a very good shot at winning. cyborg is all power but not so much on the skill set.

i see holm fighting a similar game plan like when she fought ronda. holm is gonna keep her distance, throw/kick when she see's an opening. she's gonna do this until she tired cyborg out then watch how she's gonna set up for the head kick!

[hayZ]

I just don't think it matters. Holm was completely exposed by Cupcake - Cupcake, of all fighters - in almost the same way Sage Northcutt was exposed by Bryan Barbarena. Then Shevchenko confirmed the exposure.

I'm a HUGE Holm fan and have been since her boxing days, but the Rousey win got her believing things that aren't there. She doesn't have power. She has accumulation, timing, speed and accuracy. That works against normal females; I don't see it working against Cyborg to keep her off for very long. Especially if she comes in the cage 145+. If Cyborg gets her off her feet she's done.

Cyborg is too solid for a night of jabbing - and she's never lost on her feet. Her knockout wins were all strike-based which is how she knew she would have destroyed Rousey too.

I'll be cheering for her, but it's grim.

Wouldn't say she was exposed vs Tate. It was common knowledge that it was her weakness. She was dominating the fight until the 5th round submission.

You are right with regards to her power though. I don't think she's very explosive either. She looked pretty slow vs Shevchenko.

I think it's going to be a tough fight for Cyborg simply because Cyborg CAN be hit and she will give Holm something to play with. If you limit your striking offense and grapple with Holm she struggles BIG TIME. Cyborg pushes the pace and goes for it.

I wouldn't be surprised if Holm pulls out the W but Cyborg rightfully is the favourite if you go off records and the manner of W's too.

[$Bullsfam$]

I don't think Holm was exposed at all lol. Its obvious she won't have much of a ground game and the one girl who vacated the belt hit her a few good times to rock her but most of them after the bell which ended up robbing Holms because I point should of been taken the second time when they could of took one after the first.

Cyborg could KO her in the first 30 seconds. Shes that nasty but I think we will see Cyborg at least see the 3rd round and that makes all the difference. She doesn't have a style that is good for 5 rounds especially with how much weight she cuts.

I bet money on Holms and I'm pretty confident she will at least be Cyborgs toughest fight to date. Cyborg will bully her the 1st round but Holm lands some leg and body kicks. 2nd round Cyborg probably still beats her up but Holm lands more and Cyborg breathes a little harder.

3rd round is make or break. If Holm can survive she can stop Cyborg in the last 2. 3rd round just continue circling picking your shots. Cyborg will still be aggressive and still land but she will be visibly more tired and if Holm lands a couple nice body shots and even rally late in the round the 4th and 5th will be hell for Cyborg.

Holm TKO 4.

[$Bullsfam$]

The Brazillian girls who I have mad respect for a lot of them can fight, seem to have it out for the "blonde hair blue eyed" stereotype the UFC likes to push.

Which they do I'm not denying but Holly Holm is not the one. She isn't a hype job. Shes a proven veteran CHAMPION. Probably the most accomplished female fighter of all time.

[OctoberRed]

I don't think Holm was exposed at all lol. Its obvious she won't have much of a ground game and the one girl who vacated the belt hit her a few good times to rock her but most of them after the bell which ended up robbing Holms because I point should of been taken the second time when they could of took one after the first.

Cyborg could KO her in the first 30 seconds. Shes that nasty but I think we will see Cyborg at least see the 3rd round and that makes all the difference. She doesn't have a style that is good for 5 rounds especially with how much weight she cuts.

I bet money on Holms and I'm pretty confident she will at least be Cyborgs toughest fight to date. Cyborg will bully her the 1st round but Holm lands some leg and body kicks. 2nd round Cyborg probably still beats her up but Holm lands more and Cyborg breathes a little harder.

3rd round is make or break. If Holm can survive she can stop Cyborg in the last 2. 3rd round just continue circling picking your shots. Cyborg will still be aggressive and still land but she will be visibly more tired and if Holm lands a couple nice body shots and even rally late in the round the 4th and 5th will be hell for Cyborg.

Holm TKO 4.

I agree. Holm would have won if not for allowing herself to get taken down and everyone knew that was Tate's big shot to win.

If Holm can make it to the late stage of the fight, she can really make it interesting.

[Anthony342]

The only shock is if Holm makes it past the first round.