Holly Holm apparently will not be able to defend her new Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight title until Ronda Rousey recovers from the beating Holm gave her.

Holm’s first defense will come against Rousey, possibly on July 9 in Las Vegas, Dana White, president of UFC, told The Los Angeles Times.

Holm knocked out the previously unbeaten Rousey in the second round in Melbourne, Australia, on Nov. 14 in what was widely touted as the biggest upset in mixed martial arts history.

Holm’s manager, Lenny Fresquez, told The Los Angeles Times that Holm did not especially want to wait to fight, especially if Rousey is not ready by July. He said Holm would like to fight Miesha Tate, the No. 2 contender, in the interim.

The Los Angeles Times reported that White responded to this with a sarcastic, “We’re real concerned with his opinion.”

UFC keeps its top fighters under contract and has a great deal of control over who fights whom. While that often gives fans the matchups they want to see, fighters are not always delighted with whom they are told to face.

Because she suffered head injuries in the Holm fight, Rousey was suspended for 180 days by UFC, although that could be lifted if she has a negative CT head scan.

Of a possible Rousey rematch, Holm told The New York Times last month: “She’s going to come back. She’s mad that it’s not her title anymore. I’ve got to be twice as ready as last time.”

Holm was anywhere from an 8-1 to 20-1 underdog for her first fight against Rousey. In a rematch, bookmakers have again made Rousey the favorite, but only by a 3-2 margin.

© 2015 The New York Times Company