Holm 'couldn't even push down five pounds' with left triceps after neck injury

Holly Holm's neck injury was serious enough that the former boxing champion wasn't able to properly use her left arm.

"At first I was kind of worrying if I had a neurological problem, because my arm wasn't working," Holm told MMAFighting.com's Marc Raimondi. "I couldn't even push down five pounds with my triceps. I think not knowing was worse. Once I found out I had a herniated disc, and this is pushing on my nerve and this is why you can't use it, it was almost a relief to me that it was fixable, healable."

The undefeated bantamweight was set to make her UFC debut in December, but was forced to pull out of the bout with the injury. She has since undergone therapy, and will step into the Octagon for the first time at UFC 184 against Raquel Pennington.

The 33-year-old Holm possesses the strongest boxing pedigree in the division, and the UFC no doubt hopes to market her as a potential challenger for division overlord Ronda Rousey.

Sensing an upcoming Holm/Rousey battle, Rousey's coach Edmond Tarverdyan is already trumpeting his charge's advantages on the feet. 

"Ronda beats Holly in a boxing match. I don't believe it, I know so and I believe in my fighter a lot," Tarverdyan told reporters, according to Fox Sports' Damon Martin.

Despite having a far more impressive boxing resume, Holm isn't bothered by Tarverdyan's bold claims.

"Here's what I think about it - I took no offense because her coaches and her team behind her have faith in her and I think that's how it should be," Holm said. "That is how it's supposed to be. I feel like my coaches and my team are so confident in me and they should be.

"So I took no offense to it, but I don't really know if they understand how different a boxing fight is from MMA.  That's really bold to say because that's like saying I could go into a jiu-jitsu tournament and I'm going to armbar Ronda Rousey. That is a lot to say."