UFC News: Holly Holm's coach says she's planning an early 2020 return, reveals targeted opponent

Holly Holm is coming off a devastating first-round knock out against Bantamweight Queen Amanda Nunes at UFC 239. It was her first attempt to regain the Bantamweight title after two unsuccessful attempts at gaining the Featherweight Championship (with losses against Germaine de Randamie and Cris Cyborg).

Holm, despite having lost more than she's won in the last four years, has managed to get a lot of opportunities at UFC gold but hasn't touched it since her loss to Meisha Tate 3 and a half years ago.

When speaking to BJPenn.com, Holly Holm's coach Mike Winkeljohn revealed that the former Champion is planning an early 2020 return.

“Early next year. She ripped a lot of muscle of her tendon working out one day and it is one of those injuries that you need to let heal,” Winkeljohn told BJPENN.com of Holm. “We will be seeing her soon.”

He revealed that Aspen Ladd is her targeted opponent. They were originally scheduled to face off at UFC 235 but the fight was quietly canceled because Holm had a title opportunity against Amanda Nunes.

“Aspen Ladd would be great, we would love that fight,” he explained. “Especially after what she said when Holm got the title fight and that fight never happened. So, Holly would love would to get into the cage with that young lady. I don’t know, Raquel Pennington is still there.”

When asked about the criticism of Holm's five losses in seven fights, Winklejohn fired back, stating that Holm has gone out of her way to move up weight classes to fight for World titles and asked who else in the UFC has done that:

I’m sick and tired of hearing, ‘oh she has some losses’, but who else in the UFC has done that? She has stepped up and fought anyone at whatever weight,”

Winkeljohn is confident that Holm will fight and win the 135-pound title again, but also revealed that if the opportunity presented itself at 145, she would take it.