Last Saturday, Eric Bischoff's Real American Freestyle Wrestling's inaugural show took place at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio and showcased talent such as Wyatt Hendrickson and Bo Nickal, while also featuring Kurt Angle on the commentary desk. However, one wrestler who was supposed to appear on the card was Olympic silver medalist Kennedy Blades, who was unable to get cleared by the NCAA in order to compete at the event. Therefore, with RAF needing a quick replacement, former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm stepped up to the plate and accepted the challenge to fightAlejandra Rivera on short notice. Just days after the show, Bischoff commented on Holm filling in for Blades, stating that he was beyond impressed with her performance, especially since she had less than 24 hours to prepare for the match.
"In pro wrestling, you find your worth as a promoter by making chicken salad out of chicken s**t. It's the same principle here.When we found out Kennedy couldn't wrestle due to NCAA restrictions, Izzy Martinez was able to put together the Holly Holm fight within hours. That's how it's done. And, without a wrestling background, Holly stepped in on less than 24 hours and put on an incredible performance. I respect her so much for that," Bischoff explained speaking with "Undisputed."
Holm would fail to defeatRivera by judges decision after three rounds of action, but having accepted the match at the last minute and displaying a strong performance at 43 years of age was nothing short of outstanding. Holm's last contest in the UFC was in 2024 when she lost to Kayla Anderson by submission in just two rounds.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Undisputed" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
