Former WWE Superstar Taz is well-versed in the area of predetermined outcomes, and The Human Suplex Machine shared his belief Monday that both Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm are as well on the heels of their UFC 193 bout.
Holm knocked out Rousey to…
Former WWE Superstar Taz is well-versed in the area of predetermined outcomes, and The Human Suplex Machine shared his belief Monday that both Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm are as well on the heels of their UFC 193 bout.
Holm knocked out Rousey to win the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship this past weekend, but according to Bryan Altman of CBS Local Sports, Taz revealed on CBS Radio’s The Taz Show: Bodyslams and Beyond his feeling that Rousey’s defeat was a calculated move due to her upcoming hiatus:
Why are some people not seeing this? This has been done in the wrestling industry for years. A guy or girl is going to take a break or go away, or has an injury that they have to tend to, whatever the reasons are, and they’re a champion—you take the championship off of them. You do not want your champion sitting home or making a movie, ‘Roadhouse 2’ or whatever Rousey’s going to do, or just needs a personal break, which she’s earned. This girl’s earned it. But you don’t want that person sitting home for five, six, seven months with that championship. It’s bad for business! Take the belt off her!
Taz then went on to explain the finishing sequence of the fight looked fishy to him before offering his thoughts on who may have been in on the supposed scheme: “I’m telling you right now, that whole series, was the work. And I’m not sure who was in on it and who wasn’t but I know this much: the ref probably wasn’t in on it. Maybe he was I don’t know. Rousey was in on it—and again, this is all my opinion. Holm might not have been in on it.”
Rousey was steadfast in her belief that she would remain undefeated, but Holm’s expected strategy worked and saddled Rowdy with the first loss of her career, as shown by UFC on Fox:
Everyone is seemingly looking for answers regarding how someone as dominant as Rousey could possibly get beaten so soundly by a massive underdog.
Former ECW World Heavyweight Champion Taz seems to believe he has it figured out, but he isn’t taking Rousey’s pride into account.
Most professional wrestlers don’t have any issue “putting over” opponents since they know what the business is all about, but a big part of Rousey’s popularity and desirability was the notion that she was invincible.
That is now gone, and it seems likely that the former Olympic bronze medalist in judo would have vacated the belt long before taking a dive despite its impact on the UFC’s bottom line.
Former WWE Superstar Taz is well-versed in the area of predetermined outcomes, and The Human Suplex Machine shared his belief Monday that both Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm are as well on the heels of their UFC 193 bout.
Holm knocked out Rousey to…
Former WWE Superstar Taz is well-versed in the area of predetermined outcomes, and The Human Suplex Machine shared his belief Monday that both Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm are as well on the heels of their UFC 193 bout.
Holm knocked out Rousey to win the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship this past weekend, but according to Bryan Altman of CBS Local Sports, Taz revealed on CBS Radio’s The Taz Show: Bodyslams and Beyond his feeling that Rousey’s defeat was a calculated move due to her upcoming hiatus:
Why are some people not seeing this? This has been done in the wrestling industry for years. A guy or girl is going to take a break or go away, or has an injury that they have to tend to, whatever the reasons are, and they’re a champion—you take the championship off of them. You do not want your champion sitting home or making a movie, ‘Roadhouse 2’ or whatever Rousey’s going to do, or just needs a personal break, which she’s earned. This girl’s earned it. But you don’t want that person sitting home for five, six, seven months with that championship. It’s bad for business! Take the belt off her!
Taz then went on to explain the finishing sequence of the fight looked fishy to him before offering his thoughts on who may have been in on the supposed scheme: “I’m telling you right now, that whole series, was the work. And I’m not sure who was in on it and who wasn’t but I know this much: the ref probably wasn’t in on it. Maybe he was I don’t know. Rousey was in on it—and again, this is all my opinion. Holm might not have been in on it.”
Rousey was steadfast in her belief that she would remain undefeated, but Holm’s expected strategy worked and saddled Rowdy with the first loss of her career, as shown by UFC on Fox:
Everyone is seemingly looking for answers regarding how someone as dominant as Rousey could possibly get beaten so soundly by a massive underdog.
Former ECW World Heavyweight Champion Taz seems to believe he has it figured out, but he isn’t taking Rousey’s pride into account.
Most professional wrestlers don’t have any issue “putting over” opponents since they know what the business is all about, but a big part of Rousey’s popularity and desirability was the notion that she was invincible.
That is now gone, and it seems likely that the former Olympic bronze medalist in judo would have vacated the belt long before taking a dive despite its impact on the UFC’s bottom line.
UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey has mowed down the competition to the tune of a 12-0 career record, but in order to triumph for the 13th time, she must get past champion boxer Holly Holm at UFC 193.
Rousey will headline the Melbourne, Au…
UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey has mowed down the competition to the tune of a 12-0 career record, but in order to triumph for the 13th time, she must get past champion boxer Holly Holm at UFC 193.
Rousey will headline the Melbourne, Australia-based card in one of her most highly anticipated fights yet. No challenger has come close to defeating Rousey thus far, and only one has made it out of the first round, but the undefeated Holm is unique because of her size and background.
Before Rousey and Holm weigh in and take care of the final particulars before their clash, here is everything you need to know about the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship bout, as well as a prediction for who will reign supreme Down Under.
Where: Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Australia
When: Saturday, Nov. 14 at 10 p.m. ET
Watch: PPV
Updated Odds
What Rousey’s Saying
Rousey enters all of her fights as an overwhelming favorite, and that is once again the case leading up to UFC 193. Although Holm has accomplished a lot in several different fighting styles, Rowdy has yet to be truly tested.
The 28-year-old Rousey has quickly developed into the biggest draw in MMA, and there is always a great deal of hype surrounding her fights. UFC 193 is no different in that regard, and it is something Holm must find a way to handle.
In Rousey’s mind, however, her opponents are never fully prepared for what they have to deal with, both inside and outside of the octagon when they face her, according to Damon Martin of Fox Sports:
Nobody’s ready. They all think they are, though, and that’s why they show up, but then they leave and they are quite aware that they were never ready and they will never be ready. …
The thing is they have to deal with a lot more than they ever have before when they have a fight with me, but the thing is I still have to do 10 times more work outside of training than they do.
Once they get to be No. 1 contender, they get a peek into what kind of workload I have and when they go through that process when they get ready to fight me, they realize what they’re fighting for is something they don’t even want.
Rousey has had her fair share of verbal sparring sessions in the past with opponents such as Miesha Tate and Bethe Correia, but that hasn’t been the case when it comes to the reserved and well-liked Holm.
There seems to be a mutual respect between the two fighters, but as Rousey explained, she has some disdain for everyone she steps into the octagon with regardless of outside factors, per Martin:
There’s a lot of mixed emotions that go into fighting. I need that other person in there, I can’t fight by myself, I need them to be there. I appreciate they’re there but this person is trying to piggyback off of all the work I’ve done my whole life. They’re trying to steal that from me and in that sense I’m offended by their presence. I hate them for trying to hurt me. They’re trying to take away something I care so much about.
Rousey’s attitude toward fighting has led to unprecedented success, and it is likely a big reason why she has such a big advantage over her opponents.
There is undoubtedly pressure on Rousey to perform and win, but she seems to handle it with ease as she comes off as being right at home on the big stage.
What Holm’s Saying
The 34-year-old Holm is a veteran of the fighting game, but she is still fairly new to MMA with nine career fights to her credit and just two UFC bouts under her belt. Although she is undefeated, she has never encountered anything close to the level of competition she’ll be up against Saturday.
Rousey is the unquestioned cream of the crop in women’s MMA, and she is arguably the most dominant athlete in the world today. Few believe Holm has even the slightest chance of pulling off one of the biggest upsets in recent memory, but that doesn’t seem to faze her.
According to Rick Maese of the Washington Post, Holm truly believes she has what it takes to chop down the champ: “I respect her more than you can imagine, but I’m not going to put her so high on a pedestal where I feel this is an unattainable feat. Everybody’s beatable. Everybody.”
Observers are seemingly always trying to come up with a formula to defeat Rousey, but plans are rarely ever able to be executed in her fights since most of them end in mere seconds.
Holm is fully aware of that fact, which is why she plans to take a simplified, adaptable approach rather than going in with a hard-and-fast strategy, per Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times:
All I care about is to win. … I don’t want to go into the fight thinking too much. A fight is unpredictable. I want to go in with an open-ended plan and adjust along the way, not panic. I visualize this person coming into the gym to practice with me…it takes the intensity level down. … I know it’s going to be insane—breathtaking energy—but I just want to focus on being level-headed.
The fact Holm is doing everything possible to avoid psyching herself out is a good sign in terms of her chances of being at least somewhat competitive, but all the preparation in the world may not truly prepare her for what awaits at UFC 193.
Prediction
Rousey and Holm are two very different types of fighters who are likely to do everything within their power to sway the fight toward their preferred respective styles.
Although Rousey has won three of her past four fights by knockout, she is a submission artist who boasts what is essentially an inescapable armbar.
Holm, on the other hand, has a boxing background, and she has won two-thirds of her fights by way of knockout.
Rousey is as intelligent as she is physically imposing, so look for the champion to go for a takedown immediately rather than engaging Holm in any kind of fisticuffs.
Assuming Rousey is able to get Holm on the mat, it won’t be long before she finishes off her opponent since Holm is nowhere near comfortable in ground-based situations.
Holm has the striking ability to make the fight interesting if she can stay upright, but look for Rousey to take control early and the end bout via submission within the first couple minutes.
Ronda Rousey has broken down barriers in the world of MMA as UFC’s biggest draw, and now she is looking to do the same as it relates to the body image of women in the media.
The 28-year-old superstar has a growing presence in the realm of Hollywood tha…
Ronda Rousey has broken down barriers in the world of MMA as UFC’s biggest draw, and now she is looking to do the same as it relates to the body image of women in the media.
The 28-year-old superstar has a growing presence in the realm of Hollywood thanks to her roles in hits like The Expendables 3 and Furious 7. While big parts in blockbuster movies often seem to go to women with what some might call idealistic body types, Rousey is helping to diversify that medium.
Rousey hasn’t shied away from showing off her muscular physique in publications like ESPN The Magazine‘s Body Issue and Sports Illustrated‘s Swimsuit Edition. According to Sheila Marikar, “Rowdy” is hopeful that doing so will inspire other women and prevent them from being self-conscious about their looks:
If I can represent that body type of women that isn’t represented so much in media, then I’d be happy to do that. When women say that going on publications directed at men is somehow demeaning, I don’t think that’s true. I think that’s one really effective way to change the societal standard women are held to.
The UFC Women’s Bantamweight champion also made mention of a fitting for a photo shoot at which she was criticized for her weight. That prompted her to purposely show up heavier at the shoot, and this strong warning from perhaps the most dangerous woman in the world, per Marikar:
“I swear to God, if anyone calls me fat one more time in my life, I’m going to kill them,” Rousey said.
The 5’7″ Rousey, who told Marikar that her preferred weight is 148 pounds, is on a mission to gain mainstream acceptance for all women regardless of how they look.
In addition to that, she wants to ensure that women are judged based on what they accomplish above all else, according to Marikar:
We seem to be in this conflicting era for women, where women are doing so amazingly and taking over the athletic world, but we’re also in a time where …. How can I really put it? That women without any skills that freeload are being glorified. That’s something I was raised not to be. That you’re supposed to contribute to the world, not consume from it.
The 2008 Olympic bronze medalist in judo has only been in MMA since 2011, but it can be argued that she is already one of the most dominant female athletes of all time.
Few have ever posed a threat to her perfect 12-0 record, and it isn’t likely that Holly Holm will either when they meet at UFC 193 in Australia on November 14.
Rousey is an inspiration to both women and men due to her athletic performances, and if she continues to thrive, then she may very well change the way society views women as a whole if she hasn’t already.
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident Tuesday, but the 28-year-old superstar managed to avoid jail time.
Jones entered the plea in an Albuquerque, New Mexico, courtroom with UFC Presi…
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident Tuesday, but the 28-year-old superstar managed to avoid jail time.
Jones entered the plea in an Albuquerque, New Mexico, courtroom with UFC President Dana White in attendance, according to TMZ. The former No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world showed remorse for his actions when given the opportunity to speak:
“I am here to accept full responsibility for what happened, for my actions,” Jones said. ” … I’m hoping that you give me an opportunity to redeem myself.”
Jones also released a full statement regarding the situation, via EAG Sports Management:
With regards to today’s decision made by the court, I am very happy to now be able to put this incident behind me. My actions have caused pain and inconvenience in the lives of others and for that I am truly sorry and I accept full responsibility. I have been working hard during this time away from my sport to grow and mature as a man and to ensure that nothing like this happens again. I have learned a great deal from this situation and I am determined to emerge a better person because of it. I apologize to those who were affected by my actions in this incident and I am hopeful that I will be given the opportunity to redeem myself in the eyes of the public, my family and friends as well as my supporters. I am not sure what the future holds for me but I plan to continue to do the work needed to be productive and successful in every aspect of my life.
The UFC released a statement as well, specifically noting it will conduct an independent investigation of the plea agreement:
The UFC organization is aware that Jon Jones reached a plea agreement with authorities in Albuquerque, New Mexico this morning stemming from charges associated with a motor vehicle accident earlier this year. As a result, UFC, through Las Vegas-based law firm Campbell & Williams, will thoroughly review the agreement before discussing Jones’ possible reinstatement to return to competition.
More information will be made available following completion of this review.
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto noted Jones’ sentence will require him to follow guidelines laid forth by the judge:
The Rochester, New York, native’s status with the UFC is in limbo, but now that his legal issues are largely behind him, there is little doubt that the focus will now shift toward his eventual reinstatement.
Jones owns a career record of 21-1, and it remains to be seen whether he could meet the winner of the Oct. 3 Daniel Cormier vs. Alexander Gustafsson fight for the UFC light heavyweight title, depending upon when or if his indefinite suspension is lifted.
White has a difficult balance to strike in terms of making an example of those who break the law and ensuring he has as much star power at his disposal as possible.
Jones is one of the biggest stars in the UFC alongside Ronda Rousey, and assuming he is truly ready to change his ways in the wake of the hit-and-run as well as a positive drug test in January, it shouldn’t be long before he is back in the Octagon.
Melvin Guillard’s Bellator debut was spoiled Friday, as he dropped a split decision to Brandon Girtz, but the 32-year-old veteran has even bigger issues to worry about in the form of a hand injury.Continue for updates.Guillard to Undergo Surgery to Rep…
Melvin Guillard‘s Bellator debut was spoiled Friday, as he dropped a split decision to Brandon Girtz, but the 32-year-old veteran has even bigger issues to worry about in the form of a hand injury.
Continue for updates.
Guillard to Undergo Surgery to Repair Broken Hand
Saturday, Aug. 29
Guillard entered Friday’s lightweight bout as the favorite, and while Girtz was more than deserving of being awarded the upset win, he was aided by Guillard suffering a significant injury.
As seen in this Instagram photo from Guillard’s coach, Din Thomas of American Top Team, the New Orleans native suffered severe swelling in his hand after breaking it:
According to Mike Bohn of MMAJunkie.com, Thomas revealed that Guillard “shattered” his right hand early in the second round of Friday’s bout. That resulted in a cast being applied to his hand, and he is currently scheduled to undergo surgery soon.
Guillard made a late run in the third round and nearly pulled out a miraculous victory despite the broken hand, but his struggles in the first two rounds resulted in Girtz being named the victor.
With the defeat, the former UFC star fell to 32-15-2 as a professional. The loss also likely damaged his chances of challenging Will Brooks for the Bellator lightweight title in the near future.
While that is certainly disappointing for Guillard and his fans, his current focus must be on healing his hand so he can get back in the Octagon regardless of his next opponent.
It is possible that many are down on Guillard currently after he disappointed in what was supposed to be an emphatic debut; however, losing in part because of bad luck and having to battle back from an injury could put a massive chip on his shoulder.
If he uses the injury as fuel rather than getting down on himself, Guillard could be an even more dangerous force when he ultimately returns.
Former WWE Superstar Taz is well-versed in the area of predetermined outcomes, and The Human Suplex Machine shared his belief Monday that both Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm are as well on the heels of their UFC 193 bout.