“Rowdy” Ronda Rousey (3-0) just may be the fastest rising female fighter in mixed martial arts. Her latest victory over Sarah D’Alelio at Strikeforce Challengers 18 proves it, even though the fight was highlighted by controversy surrounding referee Steve Mazzagatti’s stoppage of the bout.
After Rousey, who is a fourth-degree black belt in judo, applied an armbar in the opening seconds of the fight, Mazzagatti broke the two fighters and stopped the fight after it appeared D’Alelio had verbally submitted.
The official time of the stoppage was 25 seconds.
It’s not unusual for the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist to end her fights early. In fact, every one she has had has been a mirror image of the other.
Her three amateur MMA bouts ended in the first minute, as did as her three professional bouts—all of which were won by submission due to armbar.
Alongside her accomplishments in the Olympics, her judo credentials include winning a silver medal at the 2007 World Championships and a gold medal in the 2008 Pan American Games.
She is currently ranked No. 10 in the women’s 145-pound division, according to the Unified Women’s MMA Rankings.
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