Author: Alex Ballentine

Rousey vs. McMann Results: Winner, Scorecard and Analysis

Ronda “Rowdy” Rousey has done it yet again. 
The reigning UFC women’s bantamweight champion defended her title on Saturday—this time with a first-round TKO victory over previously unbeaten Sara McMann at UFC 170 in Las Vegas. 

Although…

Ronda “Rowdy” Rousey has done it yet again. 

The reigning UFC women’s bantamweight champion defended her title on Saturday—this time with a first-round TKO victory over previously unbeaten Sara McMann at UFC 170 in Las Vegas. 

Although we’ve seen Rousey get her hand raised before, this win had a twist. It wasn’t Rousey’s signature armbar that ended the bout, but rather a knee to the liver in the first round. 

According to UFC, this was the fastest KO in women’s bantamweight history:

The bout may have been between two Olympic grapplers, but the two slugged it out on the feet from the outset. McMann may have landed a few solid shots, but Rousey was able to drive her opponent to the cage and end the bout with a knee to the body. 

McMann went to the mat immediately, and Herb Dean called a stop to the fight. 

There’s no doubt that this victory will just add to the growing legend of Rousey. With an unbeaten record of 9-0 and all eight of her previous victories coming by way of submission, it’s clear that she is one of the organization’s most exciting champions and most marketable stars.  

One could argue that this win stands out as the most impressive in her career. Unlike many of her previous opponents, McMann had the grappling credentials to hang with Rousey’s Olympic background. McMann was a silver medalist in the 2004 Olympic Games in freestyle wrestling. 

However, Rousey’s extensive judo background, which includes a bronze medal in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, proved to be enough to earn the victory. 

Perhaps even more impressive was that she tied the record for shortest time between title defenses by taking on McMann just 56 days after defeating Miesha Tate at UFC 168.  

The loss is a disappointing one for McMann, but it is by no means the end to her career. With just eight fights to her name and a 7-1 record, it’s conceivable that she could be right back in the title picture again if she comes back stronger from this loss. 

With Georges St-Pierre retired and Anderson Silva recently losing his rematch to Chris Weidman, the UFC needed Rousey to prove that she could be the kind of dominant champion who draws in fans. 

That’s exactly what she did on Saturday night by defeating one of the most highly qualified contenders she will see in the UFC. 

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Alexis Davis vs. Jessica Eye: Winner, Scorecard and Analysis

Alexis Davis moved one step closer to challenging for the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship with a huge split-decision victory over Jessica Eye at UFC 170 in Las Vegas. 

Davis wasn’t able to convince all three judges that she won the bout, bu…

Alexis Davis moved one step closer to challenging for the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship with a huge split-decision victory over Jessica Eye at UFC 170 in Las Vegas. 

Davis wasn’t able to convince all three judges that she won the bout, but she did enough to win the two rounds on two of the judges’ scorecards and pick up the crucial win. 

The first round saw Eye get off to a strong start. The Cleveland-based fighter utilized some crisp boxing and a strong clinch game to close the distance and outpoint Davis on the feet. Davis would set the tone for the second round with a takedown late in the first round, though. 

Once in the second round, the fight officially turned into Davis’ favor as she rocked Eye early in the round and gained dominant position on the ground. 

The round was highlighted by a 44-15 disparity in total strikes landed for Davis, per FightMetric, easily the most dominant round turned in by either fighter. 

Better prepared for Davis’ takedown attempts in the third and final frame, Eye was able to avoid Davis’ attempts to drag the fight to the mat once again and successfully kept the fight standing. Davis was able to edge her out in the significant strikes category anyway, though, 31-27.

However, it wouldn’t be enough to impress the judges as she earned the nod on just one of the cards and was unable to pull out the win. 

Eye recently made headlines for testing positive for cannabinoids, per Fox Sports. The positive test overturned her original split-decision victory against Sarah Kaufmann at UFC 166. Now the promising 27-year-old is still seeking her first official win inside the UFC Octagon. 

Davis, however, has had no difficulty in getting her hand raised since coming to the UFC. With the win, she now has three straight wins in the UFC, including one over former title challenger Liz Carmouche. 

Adding her two fight win-streak that she brought to the organization from Invicta FC, and she has one of the best cases to be next in line to take on the winner of UFC 170’s main event between Ronda Rousey and Sara McMann for the title. 

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Renan Barao vs. Urijah Faber: Biggest Takeaways from UFC 169 Main Event

UFC 169’s main event saw Renan Barao establish himself as the cream of the organization’s bantamweight crop with a first-round TKO defense of his championship belt against Urijah Faber. 

Despite Faber’s best attempts to spring the upset on short …

UFC 169‘s main event saw Renan Barao establish himself as the cream of the organization’s bantamweight crop with a first-round TKO defense of his championship belt against Urijah Faber. 

Despite Faber’s best attempts to spring the upset on short notice, “The California Kid” couldn’t get much going before Barao drew the stoppage from referee Herb Dean. 

The stoppage, of course, turned out to be a source of controversy. Faber was floored by a heavy right hand from Barao but was able to shield himself and hold on while the champion rained down strikes. Faber was still blocking many of the strikes that Barao was throwing, but Dean felt that it was the best decision to call the fight:

Despite the controversy, this bout was a huge moment for both fighters and the bantamweight division as a whole. Here are the takeaways from UFC 169’s main event. 

 

Renan Barao Is the Best Bantamweight in the World

Say what you will about the decision to stop the fight, but Barao just dispatched the No. 1-ranked fighter in the bantamweight division in the first round. 

The simple fact that he beat Faber doesn’t do much for his standing in the division. He had already beaten The California Kid at UFC 149 to earn the interim title. How he beat the longtime contender adds another layer to his domination, however.

Barao outstruck Faber 37-9 (17-8 in significant strikes) in the brief bout, according to FightMetric’s numbers, and he showcased a sharper instinct to finish fights than he did in their first encounter. As good as Faber looked in his previous four fights against top competition, Barao wasted no time in taking him into deep waters. 

With fighters like Michael McDonald, Eddie Wineland and Faber (twice) now on his resume, Barao has very few challenges left in the weight class. Of course, a matchup with former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz might be on the horizon, but he hasn’t fought since October 2011, so it’s tough to tell how full a recovery he will make after sitting out more than two years with injuries. 

 

Urijah Faber May Be Out of Title Shots

Faber made his name by being one of the great champions in the now-defunct WEC. But his aspirations of becoming a UFC champion are now in serious danger.

Going back to those WEC days when he lost his featherweight title against Mike Brown in 2008, he’s now on a six-fight losing streak in title bouts.

This leaves him in a tough spot. On one hand, he’s 9-0 in non-title fights in that same span. It’s hard to argue that he deserves to be sent too far down the bantamweight hierarchy. On the other hand, he’s now been defeated by Barao twice and former champion Dominick Cruz. 

At 34 years old, Faber may have a seemingly impossible hurdle standing between him and the belt. 

One thing is for sure, though: We learned that he is a tremendous teammate. He plugged T.J. Dillashaw for a title shot just minutes after losing one of the biggest fights of his life. 

That’s the kind of classy move that makes him a fan favorite. 

 

Cruz vs. Barao Is the Bantamweight Fight the UFC Needs

As previously mentioned, it’s tough to tell what the former bantamweight champion will bring to the Octagon when he finally makes it back. But for the sake of the division, the UFC better hope that he’s the same guy who beat Urijah Faber and Demetrious Johnson in his first two bouts in the organization. 

With Barao running right through Faber, there aren’t too many intriguing options left, especially if the UFC hopes to create a marketable fight to carry a pay-per-view. Names like Dillashaw and Raphael Assuncao seem like preliminary options, but they don’t really jump out as noteworthy challengers. 

As the one-time champion, Cruz would create a marketable angle that would bring some buzz to a division that is often relegated to either co-main event or free television status. Damon Martin of Fox Sports laid out a path that would work perfectly to set up the fight:

With Barao finishing Faber this time around, it appears we’ve seen the coronation of a dominant champion and the last stand of a longtime fan favorite. 

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GSP vs Hendricks Rematch: Dana White Thinks St-Pierre Must Fight Bigg Rigg Again

Georges St-Pierre may not want to rush back to the Octagon anytime soon after narrowly defeating Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks on Saturday night, but UFC president Dana White has other ideas. 
Speaking to Todd Grisham of ESPN, White reportedly feels…

Georges St-Pierre may not want to rush back to the Octagon anytime soon after narrowly defeating Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks on Saturday night, but UFC president Dana White has other ideas. 

Speaking to Todd Grisham of ESPN, White reportedly feels that GSP owes it to both the fans and the sport to grant Hendricks a rematch:

FOX Sports’ Mike Chiappetta and ESPN’s Brett Okamoto had more from White from the post-fight press conference:

White’s comments come on the heels of St-Pierre’s post-fight interview which saw the champion alluding to an extensive hiatus due to personal reasons, per Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times:

Whether Georges St-Pierre will stick to his word and take some time away from the sport remains to be seen, but it’s indisputable that Hendricks remains the true No. 1 contender in the welterweight division. After watching Hendricks earn the nod on one judge’s card, there’s little doubt that a rematch would be a highly marketable fight. 

Hendricks was able to rock GSP with his signature left hand, especially in the early going, but St-Pierre did just enough to secure three rounds according to two of the judges and thus defend his belt for the ninth consecutive time. 

Should GSP stick to his guns and retire, he would do so as one of the greatest fighters in UFC history. His current title-defense streak is only topped by Anderson Silva’s run of 10 title defenses. However, this won’t be the last we see of GSP if White has anything to do about it. 

 

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UFC 167: Evans vs. Sonnen Recap and Analysis

Rashad Evans reintroduced himself as one of the top light heavyweights in the world with a superb performance against Chael Sonnen in the co-main event at UFC 167:

Rashad Evans d. Chael Sonnen by TKO, round 1
— Bleacher Report MMA (@BR_MMA) Nove…

Rashad Evans reintroduced himself as one of the top light heavyweights in the world with a superb performance against Chael Sonnen in the co-main event at UFC 167:

Despite close odds and similar track records in recent fights, Evans made it appear as though Sonnen didn’t deserve to be in the same Octagon with the former light heavyweight champion. 

Sonnen started off with his signature in-your-face takedown attempt to start the fight, but he only succeeded in pinning Evans against the cage.

That success would be short-lived. 

Evans quickly turned the tables on Sonnen and seized control of the clinch, landing strikes against the cage as he waited for an opening to move the fight to the ground. Evans didn’t have to wait long as he put Sonnen on his back with a well-executed takedown. 

From there, things only got worse for Sonnen. 

Evans secured three passes on the ground as he eventually took Sonnen’s back and landed the bulk of his 20 significant strikes before Herb Dean intervened and called an end to the fight at 4:05 of the first round. 

This win was crucial for Evans. After going 1-2 in his last three fights, a loss would have sent him into obscurity in the light heavyweight division. Instead, he now has an impressive win that reminded analysts like Kenny Florian of Evans’ impressive top game:

For Sonnen, this is a devastating loss for any hopes he may have had of contending for a title. Although there’s no shame in losing to a fighter as decorated as Evans, this one should send him far back in the pecking order at light heavyweight. 

Note: All statistics via FightMetric unless otherwise noted. 

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UFC 167: Last-Minute Odds and Predictions for GSP vs. Hendricks Card

The UFC will celebrate its 20th anniversary in style with a stacked UFC 167 card on Saturday night. 
Not only will we get to see a highly anticipated Georges St-Pierre title defense against dangerous challenger Johny Hendricks, but the rest of the…

The UFC will celebrate its 20th anniversary in style with a stacked UFC 167 card on Saturday night. 

Not only will we get to see a highly anticipated Georges St-Pierre title defense against dangerous challenger Johny Hendricks, but the rest of the card features a slew of high-profile fighters looking to make a statement—not the least of which is a co-main event between light heavyweight mainstays Chael Sonnen and Rashad Evans.

Here’s a quick look at the latest odds for the night’s biggest fights along with predictions for each. 

All statistics via FightMetric.com unless otherwise noted. 

 

St-Pierre Grinds Out Another Decision

According to John Candido of ESPN (Insider subscription required), on Saturday night, St-Pierre will face his lowest odds since fighting B.J. Penn at UFC 94 in 2009. That’s for good reason; Hendricks has faced a who’s who of the welterweight division and has just one loss on the ledger. 

Hendricks’s power in the stand-up game is a legitimate concern for the champion. He’s scored first-round knockouts finishes of Amir Sadollah, TJ Waldburger, Jon Fitch and Martin Kampmann in his time with the UFC. Throw in the fact that St-Pierre has been caught by Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz in his last two fights and the recipe for a Hendricks upset begins to take shape. 

The problem is that we’ve been here before. While Hendricks has the one-punch power to turn the fight on its ear at any moment, he also absorbs 3.04 strikes per minute to GSP‘s 1.23. 

Expect GSP to outbox Hendricks standing and score enough takedowns to secure yet another decision victory. 

 

Sonnen Smothers Evans for Victory

The co-main event between Chael Sonnen and Rashad Evans may not be for a belt, but it’s every bit as interesting as the main event that it precedes. 

Both Sonnen and Evans have reputations in the sport as great wrestlers, but only one of them continues to practice that reputation. That would be Sonnen.

While Evans has landed exactly one takedown in his last three fights (all of which went the distance), Sonnen has landed three in his last three bouts (which totaled five rounds). 

That means Evans will likely look to utilize his quickness and advantage in the stand-up department to out-strike Sonnen. That’s going to be a tall order, however. Sonnen absorbs less than a strike per minute (0.94). 

Anderson Silva and Jon Jones may have been able to pick apart Sonnen on the feet. But Evans hasn’t proven himself to be at their level. Sonnen‘s toughness and willingness to stick to his wrestling should be the difference in this one. 

 

MacDonald Will Continue Ascension Despite Tough Test from Lawler

Don’t let the odds fool you, rising star Rory MacDonald faces a tough test on Saturday night against Robbie Lawler. 

Lawler has spent much of his career as middling middleweight, but he is in the midst of a career resurgence at welterweight. He’s now 2-0 with two very impressive knockout victories since re-joining the UFC as a welterweight. 

Knockouts aren’t anything new for Lawler, either. He’s earned 18 of his 21 career victories via (T)KO and has the power to stun MacDonald at any time. 

MacDonald deserves to be the favorite. Outside of GSP, there aren’t many fighters at welterweight who are more complete. But it is important to note that MacDonald’s last loss came from a veteran striker in Carlos Condit. MacDonald has gotten much better since then, but it doesn’t mean he’s completely immune to getting in trouble against Lawler.

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