Holly Holm stands to make $7 million if a rematch with Ronda Rousey goes ahead

The 34-year-old savagely beat the previously unbeaten American at UFC 193 in Melboue in November, and talk immediately shifted to when the pair would do battle in the Octagon again.

The UFC has reportedly set a date for what would be the most anticipated fight of 2016 — July 9 at UFC 200 in Las Vegas. Speaking on his podcast, UFC broadcaster Joe Rogan said Holm's wallet would be the biggest beneficiary if that was to unfold.

'Financially, the Holly Holm fight with Ronda is the biggest fight for Holly Holm. Holly Holm's going to make like $7 million,' said Rogan

'She doesn't want to wait, she wants to stay active and I totally understand that, and I think it should be her prerogative as a champion to choose.

'But financially that's the smart move for her because she's going to make the most money.'

While it's the dream of the UFC and the public to see a rematch between the two, Holm's camp has indicated their interest in fighting before July, potentially against former Strikeforce champion Miesha Tate.

'Holly's used to staying active,' Holm's manager Lenny Fresquez told the LA Times. 'We're from the old school and we believe the No. 1 contender is there for a reason. … (Tate) deserves a shot, but it's not for me to decide.

'I'm not sure Ronda will be ready for a July fight.

'She took a severe beating and I don't think it's in her best interest to take the next fight so fast.'

But talk of Holm fighting again before Rousey was quashed by UFC president Dana White, who said; 'It's Rousey' when asked who Holm's next opponent would be. He also ridiculed Fresquez's idea of versing Tate, sarcastically saying; 'We're real conceed with his opinion.'

Rousey has barely been seen in the month since losing to Holm, but recently attended the Marine Corps Ball after promising a marine in September she would go with him. She is also preparing to film two movies in 2016 — Mile 22 and a remake of Road House — a move that came under criticism from Rogan and co-host Brendan Schaub, himself an MMA fighter.

'Isn't that a problem now, too, because if she's prepping for the rematch isn't she about to go do that Road House movie?' said Rogan

'Movies are hard to sell when you're a badass when the world knows in your last fight you got flatlined.'

Schaub was even more direct when it came to what impact acting would have on Rousey's comeback chances.

'If I'm Dana White, I'm going, ‘Look at me. You're not doing any f****** movies. Your contract's with us, we're not giving you permission to do any of this,'' said Schaub.

Holm was merciless against Rousey.Source:News Corp Australia

'What the f*** is she going to do? If she's filming Road House while Holly's focused … and Ronda can't eat solid foods and then she's going to make a movie and then jump into camp, the same camp that has been telling her to do all this stuff. God bless her and hopefully it works out, but it's a mother******.'

Just days ago Rousey said she wanted a rematch with Holm, and while the defending champion wants to fight earlier than July, she's aware the decision isn't really up to her.

'I'd like to fight sooner than later, but like I said, I've never in my life said, ‘I want to fight this person at this time.' I don't do that,' Holm told reporters.

'So I don't like to wait eight months, but I'm not going to sit here and just demand anything different. You know, if they give me something sooner, great. And if not, great.'

Speaking on Rogan's podcast, actor Bryan Callen said there would have to be question marks about Rousey's mental capacity to take to the Octagon in a rematch, while Schaub said her comeback would go one of two ways.

'I imagine there would be an emotional factor which is, ‘Can I even do this? Can I solve this emotional riddle in six months?' That's not a lot of time to catch up to somebody who's that good,' said Callen.

'I think she's going to come back and either be a f****** demon, or we're going to see a shell and she's going to get kicked in the face and we never see her again,' Schaub said.

After UFC 193, the sport's goveing body issued Rousey a six-month medical suspension. Holm knocked her out with a kick to the head and she required plastic surgery on her lip, with Dana White flying one of the best plastic surgeons in Australia to Melboue after the fight to perform the necessary procedure.