When Holly Holm landed the head kick that rendered Ronda Rousey a former champion in November, only two fighters in the UFC women’s bantamweight division mattered.
Now, that number has doubled, if not tripled.
Holm (10-1) returns from her stunning fifth-round submission loss to Miesha Tate in March when she fights Valentina Shevchenko (12-2) at Chicago’s United Center to headline the Fox-televised “Fight Night” card at 5 p.m. Pacific on Saturday.
Tate was upset July 9 by new women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes by first-round submission, further altering the landscape.
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UFC President Dana White has said when Rousey is ready to fight again after taking some time off, filming a movie and undergoing knee surgery, she will immediately fight for the belt.
Rousey has aimed for a November return in New York but may not be ready until January, according to a UFC official.
White admitted the void Friday when asked who Holm would fight if she wins Saturday, as expected.
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“I have no clue yet,” White said in a text message.
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Holly Holm celebrates her victory over Ronda Rousey in their women’s bantamweight championship bout at UFC 193 event in Melbourne, Australia.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Holly Holm, right, lands a kick to the neck to knock out Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia, on Nov. 15, 2015. (Paul Crock / AFP/Getty Images)
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Ronda Rousey, left, goes down after being knocked out by a kick to the neck from Holly Holm at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Paul Crock / AFP/Getty Images)
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Ronda Rousey hits the canvas after being knocked out by Holly Holm.
(Paul Crock / AFP /Getty Images)
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Ronda Rousey receives medical treatment after being knocked out by Holly Holm.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Holly Holm, right, is declared the bantamweight champion after defeating Ronda Rousey at UFC 193.
(Andy Brownbill / Associated Press)
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Holly Holm wears the women’s bantamweight belt she won from Ronda Rousey during UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Holly Holm punches Ronda Rousey during their championship bout at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia. UFC leadership says Holm’s next fight will be a rematch with Rousey. Holm’s camp wanted a fight against Miesha Tate while Rousey recovered from her first fight against Holm.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Holly Holm, right, demonstrated all her skill and athleticism at UFC 193 with a second-round knockout of Ronda Rousey.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Holly Holm, right, fights Ronda Rousey for the women’s bantamweight belt at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Joe Catro / EPA)
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Holly Holm, left, defeated Ronda Rousey by second-round knockout in UFC 193 in Australia to claim the women’s bantamweight title.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Holly Holm, left, pulled off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history by defeating Ronda Rousey in November 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. (Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Holly Holm, top, upset Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Ronda Rousey, center, appears focused as she walks toward the octagon for her UFC bantamweight title fight against Holly Holm.
(Paul Crock / AFP / Getty Images)
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Joanna Jedrzejcyk, left, punches Valerie Letourneau during UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Andy Brownbill / Associated Press)
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Joanna Jedrzejczyk, right, defeated Valerie Letourneau by unanimous decision at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia on Nov. 14, 2015. (Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Mark Hunt, right, defeated Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Robert Whittaker, right, defeated Uriah Hall by unanimous decision at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Jared Rosholt, top, defeated Stefan Struve by unanimous decision during UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Jared Rosholt, right, and Stefan Struve compete at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Jake Matthews holds down Akbar Arreola during UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Akbarh Arreola looks on after his UFC 193 bout against Jake Matthews was stopped after the second round because of the swelling near Arreola’s eye.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Jake Matthews celebrates his victory over Akbarh Arreola at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Kyle Noke, left, kicks Peter Sobotta on his way to a first-round technical knockout at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Gian Villante, right, punches Anthony Perosh on his way to a first-round technical knockout at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Danny Martinez defeated Richie Vaculik by unanimous decision at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Danny Martinez holds down Richie Vaculik at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Steve Montgomery, left, takes a hit during a loss to Dan Kelly at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Dan Kelly punches Steve Montgomery during their middleweight bout at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Dan Kelly, right, used a late rally to beat Steve Montgomery at UFC 193 event in Melbourne, Australia.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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James Moontasri, right, kicks Anton Zafir during their welterweight bout at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
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Ben Nguyen celebrates after defeating Ryan Benoit during their UFC 193 flyweight fight in Melbourne, Australia.
(Andy Brownbill / Associated Press)
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Ben Nguyen, left, defeated Ryan Benoit by first-round submission during their UFC 193 fight in Melbourne, Australia.
(Andy Brownbill / Associated Press)
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Richard Walsh, right, defeated Steven Kennedy by unanimous decision at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)
The division’s depth, aided by the presence of top-five challenger Julianna Pena and former title contender Cat Zingano, has given the UFC a wealth of appealing potential matchups.
“Nobody has been promised, but we want Nunes,” Holm manager Lenny Fresquez told the Los Angeles Times in a Friday text message.
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Nunes won the shot at Tate by defeating Shevchenko by unanimous decision on the Holm-Tate undercard.
Holm, a former pro boxing champion, was leading on scorecards when she found herself on the canvas and beaten by Tate.
“She’s just as tough, if not more, than what I had to face before,” Holm said of Shevchenko. “I’m really focused on trying to make the most of this fight because you’re not promised this opportunity. Who knows what’s next?”
