LAS VEGAS – Ronda Rousey apparently wanted to prove a point about her striking.
The UFC women’s bantamweight champion put on a swift and lethal show Saturday night in the co-main event of UFC 175 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, needing just 16 seconds to finish Canada’s Alexis Davis.
The victory earned Rousey, who has been heavily jeered in her recent fights, a standing ovation from the fans in attendance.
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“Hopefully everyone keeps cheering for me,” Rousey said. “Thank you.”
Rousey tagged Davis (16-6) with a right hand at the outset, landed a big knee in the clinch, and then delivered a picture-perfect judo throw. When they hit the ground, Rousey grabbed a headlock and delivered punches until referee Yves Levigne waved it off.
“I box six days a week and I grapple and wrestler four days a week,” Rousey said. “So I have more to catch up with on my striking.”
After the bout, Davis tried to get up while still wobbly. Lavigne attempted to put her back on the mat until finally, Davis sat down on a stool. Davis left the cage under her own power.
Rousey, with her fourth successful title defense in 16 months, added to her impressive list of accomplishments. She improved to 10-0. She’s won all her fights via finish. She’s won nine of her 10 bouts in the first round.
It was also the fastest bout of Rousey’s career. She had won two previous bouts in 25 seconds apiece.
In the post-fight interview, Joe Rogan put Rousey on the spot and asked if she wanted to headline the Aug. 2 card at Staples Center in Los Angeles, which lost its main event of Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes on Friday.
“I’ve got knee surgery scheduled,” said Rousey. “But I’ll ask my coaches and we’ll see what they say.”