Holly Holm"s comeback is the one we should be focusing on

Emotional Holly Holm & Valentina Shevchenko Post Fight Presser Highlights

Holly Holm went from little-known underdog to Ronda Rousey slayer to forgotten in under four months.

Now, after months of Miesha Tate bashing a mostly silent Ronda Rousey and the fighting world wondering when Rousey will make her return, Holm is set to make hers.

Holm is back for Saturdays UFC Fight Night Chicago, where shell take on No. 7 -ranked Valentina Shevchenko, and like the low-key killer shes always been, Holm isnt following in Tates trash-talking footprints.

My whole concern is just to get a win, Holm told Fox Sports. I want to win this coming fight and thats it. Whatever comes after that has to be because I do well, and thats all Im worried about.

As much as people say, What do you want after this fight?, its like: I need to deal with this one. Im facing one of the best girls out there, Holm continued.I cant look past this weekend. Ive got a lot of work ahead of me.

Holm lands a kick on Miesha Tate during their fight at UFC 196 on March 5, 2016.Photo: Getty Images

If Holm beats Shevchenko, she could be in line to be the first challenger for bantamweight title-holder Amanda Nunes or face Rousey or Tate, who took Holms best before recording a stunning fifth-round choke-out.

I always want to avenge the loss, but either one is fine, Holm said when asked directly about facing Rousey or Tate.

It doesnt matter which fight. I would be going into both carrying a lot of weight behind it, a lot of nerve-racking moments and a lot of anxiety, but thats why we do the sport: to push ourselves.

Its easy to see how Holm has fallen back in the UFC pecking order and out of the headlines, but as Rousey learned in November, it is a mistake to take Holmlightly.

Holm celebrates after beating Rousey at UFC 193.Photo: Getty Images

Holm did not have a WWE-sized personality, but what she lacked in the gift of gab, she made up for with world-class talent.

Before getting into MMA, Holm was considered one of the best female boxers of her generation, and she translated that pedigree into the Octagon, where she earned herself a 10-0 record, culminating with the brutal beatdown of Rousey.

Inher first title defense against longtime Rousey punching bag Tate, Holm dominated for most of the fight. But then Tate landed a last-ditch takedown and choked Holm out in one of the most improbable wins in UFC history.

After the fight, Holm once again faded into the background as Tate grabbed the spotlight.

Tate did photo shoots, she gave interviews, and she took every opportunity she could to throw shade at Rouseyuntil Nunes blitzed Tate into a first-round submission earlier this month at UFC 200.

[Rousey] seems awfully pouty about the loss [to Holm], Tate told Conan OBrien. And its like, weve all had losses, you know? Either get up and get back on the horse and come back stronger for it, or you sit out for over a year.

Rousey never responded to Tates repeated barbs, and her silence intensified the mystery surrounding her return to fighting.

Every tiny tidbit of information about Rousey became a headline until she released a commercial that made it clearer that she planned to return to the fight game with a vengeance.

With the hype surrounding Rousey and Tate, the world seemingly forgot about Holm the woman who destroyed Rousey and clinically dismantled Tate for four-and-a-half rounds.She has a chance to change that on Saturday night.

People are always going to wonder about the whole big picture. Thats why they ask all these questions related to the whole division and obviously with recent events they want to know what you think about it, Holm told the website. They want to know about the Miesha fight and all that, and obviously thats the most recent thing. I have a loss to her. I understand it.

But my job is to make sure I stay focused on the important things. I cant think about my last fight or what comes next. You are never promised another opportunity. This could be it. Treat every fight like its your last fight because it could be. You never know.

Source: http://nypost.com/2016/07/20/holly-holms-comeback-is-the-one-we-should-be-focusing-on/