Author: Nathan McCarter

3 Fights for Holly Holm to Take Next After Dismantling Ronda Rousey

Holly Holm is your new UFC women’s bantamweight champion after beating Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 on Saturday. The Rousey Era is over—for now.
So that begs the question—who’s next?
It’s a big question because Rousey had defeated just about eve…

Holly Holm is your new UFC women’s bantamweight champion after beating Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 on Saturday. The Rousey Era is over—for now.

So that begs the question—who’s next?

It’s a big question because Rousey had defeated just about every challenger, and now the floodgates are open. All of the fighters ranked in the Top Five have an argument to be the next challenger for Holm’s gold. And in the UFC, dominant champions typically get immediate rematches.

After Holm’s destruction of Rousey, here are three viable options the UFC has for her first title defense.

 

Miesha Tate

Tate is the No. 1-ranked contender right now. She will likely move down to No. 2 come Monday when the new rankings are released, with Rousey taking up the No. 1 spot. Tate has four consecutive wins under her belt and was passed up for the UFC 193 slot by Holm due to her previous losses to Rousey.

No other challenger has her credentials or claim to the title shot, but she may not be the best option for the UFC.

Tate is well-rounded. She would be a good test for Holm, who has had some struggles inside the Octagon. She hasn’t been perfect. It could be a chance for Tate to reclaim the title of best women’s bantamweight in the world.

 

Cat Zingano

She is just behind Tate, although she has a victory over Cupcake. Zingano has not been back in the cage since her 14-second loss to Rousey in February. That could hamper her bid for a title shot.

Zingano may be the most intriguing fight for Holm, though.

“Alpha” Cat is one of the strongest women in the division and also one of the most athletic. She has power in her hands, but they are not at Holm’s level. Where she does have an advantage is on the ground. She is not as quick or dynamic as Rousey is, but her ground game is much different than that of the former champion. Zingano is a slick jiu-jitsu artist.

Holm vs. Zingano would be a fight for the MMA hardcore audience, featuring two likable characters who are good at their craft. It would be more of a technical battle than a free-for-all, and perhaps that would be a reason for the UFC to shy away from it as it looks to build up Holm.

 

Ronda Rousey

Well, this is the obvious choice. However, there is one big caveat to Rousey’s potential immediate rematch: when she wants to return and if the UFC wants Holm to wait to make her first title defense.

Rousey stated prior to the fight she wanted to “disappear” following UFC 193, and at the post-fight press conference Dana White confirmed that she may indeed be out until UFC 200 in July—just a little over seven months from now.

The rematch will be huge business for the UFC, and no bigger stage than UFC 200 exists. The fight company may not want to risk Holm defending the title against any other woman right now. That would halt the division’s momentum following her KO win, but it makes good business sense to preserve the rematch.

At this point, it would seem like common sense that Rousey will get an immediate rematch whenever she chooses to return to action. Will it come at the expense of other contenders, or will there be enough time for Holm to defend? That’s the $64,000 question.

Whomever Holm ends up fighting, it will be an intriguing bout. If it’s not Rousey, the new champion’s first defense will be a test of her new drawing power; however, if it is the bombastic Olympian, then we should buckle up for another round of The Ronda Show as everyone will be anticipating how she handles this adversity.

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UFC 193: Albuquerque Reacts to Holly Holm’s KO of Ronda Rousey

If you thought the crowd reaction was amazing when Holly Holm lambasted Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 you haven’t seen anything yet.

Holm’s hometown fans exploded in cheers when they saw Holm dropped the seemingly invincible champion to the canvas. Their fa…

If you thought the crowd reaction was amazing when Holly Holm lambasted Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 you haven’t seen anything yet.

Holm’s hometown fans exploded in cheers when they saw Holm dropped the seemingly invincible champion to the canvas. Their favorite daughter knocked off the unbeatable and would be bringing gold back home.

Duane Finley went to Albuquerque and captured the video at a local watering hole at the moment of the knockout.

There may not be enough superlatives to capture how remarkable the achievement was for Holm. She dominated Rousey. She didn’t clip her nor was she involved in a back-and-forth battle. Holm took the strap from Rousey in equally dominant fashion that Rousey did so over three years ago in Strikeforce.

Holm took Rousey out of the fight immediately. She hurt her with hard straight lefts, and Rousey seemed befuddled. And what should not be left out in the reflection of the knockout is that Rousey did take Holm down, but Holm defended the armbar and got back to her feet.

Holm’s footwork caused Rousey to whiff multiple times, including one time sending Rousey to her knee as she missed hard on her entry. Rousey’s lip was busted open, and she was visibly gassed after just one round of chasing Holm. The second round was academic.

Holm completed the upset with her now famous KO and perhaps even more violent hammerfists to a flattened Rousey.

The folks in the ABQ are likely still partying right now, and they’ll probably still be going strong when Holm sets foot back in town with the shiny gold belt. She was the pride of Albuquerque before, and now she may transcend to something greater after the biggest upset in UFC history.

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‘Vegas Dave’ Wins $240,000 on Holly Holm vs. Ronda Rousey Upset at UFC 193

“Vegas” Dave Oancea is a professional gambler who owns a consulting site for bettors. If that name sounds familiar, it is because he won $2.5 million on the Kansas City Royals winning the World Series.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained, so they say. And…

“Vegas” Dave Oancea is a professional gambler who owns a consulting site for bettors. If that name sounds familiar, it is because he won $2.5 million on the Kansas City Royals winning the World Series.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, so they say. And he ventured against Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 on Saturday.

“Vegas Dave” told MMAJunkie.com during fight week that he planned on putting $10,000 on Holm. Why? 

“I’ll put $10,000 on her every time against her and just keep doubling up because eventually she’s [Rousey] going to lose—that’s my philosophy,” he said. “It just takes one lucky punch. I’ll put $10,000 on her if they let me do it. I’ve got balls.”

Well, it turns out he decided to double the bet. That’s right. He laid down $20,000 on the boxer. And it paid off. He cashed the bet for $240,000 on the vicious head-kick KO. Not too bad for a Saturday night’s work.

Professional gambler or not, it was a bold move to bet against Rousey. She was the most dominant figure in combat sports. She had thrashed every single woman to step foot in the cage with her. That’s why the odds were so steep entering the event.

But “Vegas Dave” is right. All it takes is one punch. We have seen that come to fruition over and over again in this crazy sport of mixed martial arts. Anyone can be caught on any given day. Or rather, in Rousey’s case, anyone can be dominated by a fighter who was not intimidated by prior results.

Holm came through as the steep underdog, and bettors such as “Vegas Dave” benefited greatly. And, I’m sure Holm did all right for her bank account too—and she has 12 pounds of gold to carry back to New Mexico as well.

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Holly Holm’s Violent KO of Ronda Rousey Puts Division Front and Center

Holly Holm is the UFC bantamweight champion. That’s right. Not Ronda Rousey. It’s Holm.
That is strange to type, strange to read and strange to hear. It will likely be strange for quite some time. Nearly all of us saw Rousey as a near-invincible monste…

Holly Holm is the UFC bantamweight champion. That’s right. Not Ronda Rousey. It’s Holm.

That is strange to type, strange to read and strange to hear. It will likely be strange for quite some time. Nearly all of us saw Rousey as a near-invincible monster. Sure, we all saw holes in her game, but no one truly believed they could be exploited to the degree Holm did at UFC 193.

And here is the bonus from the result—it makes the division immensely interesting.

Rousey had run roughshod over the division. The fact Holm was thrust into title position as the No. 7-ranked contender tells you how dominant Rousey was. The UFC had to search past the No. 5 spot to find a contender she had yet to defeat or one who had some wins to her credit.

Remember how Miesha Tate was disappointed and contemplating retirement because she was skipped over? Guess who is in prime position for a title shot as the No. 1-ranked contender.

Or how about Cat Zingano. You know, the very talented No. 2 contender who lost to Rousey in just 14 seconds—back in play for a quick title shot. As are Amanda Nunes, Sarah Kaufman and Julianna Pena.

The UFC has options. And not just options, but interesting options because of how each of those women matches up with Holm. The new champion—that’s still weird to type—had a competitive bout with No. 12-ranked Raquel Pennington in her debut, showing that she doesn’t have the aura that Rousey had. Holm makes 135 fun again.

This is no longer a one-woman show. Bantamweight is now a legitimate division with several title contenders ready, willing and able while Rousey is on the sidelines. After all, she said she planned on taking significant time off following UFC 193.

In the meantime, Holm can take on a challenger or two. Likely just one, however, as it would make all the sense in the world for the UFC’s biggest star to make her triumphant return at UFC 200 this July. And if Holm is still champion? Wheel the money-printing machine directly into Dana White‘s office and plug it in.

This single victory by Holm will reinvigorate the entire division. It makes it a wide-open field and gives hope for the rest of the division should Rousey return and claim gold. That aura that surrounded her was shattered with the head-kick heard ’round the world. It’s but a memory.

In the words of Good Ol‘ Jim Ross, “Business is about to pick up.”

“The Preacher’s Daughter” laid Rousey at the altar and sacrificed her to the gods of the division. For the betterment of all.

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UFC 193: Mark Hunt Makes Quick Work of Bigfoot Silva in Melbourne

In December 2013, Mark Hunt and Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva battled in one of the all-time great UFC heavyweight fights. The two went toe-to-toe in a slugfest that ended up in a majority draw. It took nearly two years to run it back.
Both men h…

In December 2013, Mark Hunt and Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva battled in one of the all-time great UFC heavyweight fights. The two went toe-to-toe in a slugfest that ended up in a majority draw. It took nearly two years to run it back.

Both men have lost twice since then, and each of those four losses comes by way of KO or TKO. Yet they have kept themselves in the top 15 of the division. Hunt entered as the No. 8-ranked contender, and Bigfoot came in ranked No. 11.

Bigfoot circled on the outside for the opening minute as Hunt controlled the center of the cage. It was a feeling-out process after their violent first meeting. Hunt landed two strong kicks in the first half of the round, one to the leg and one to the body. Bigfoot took them well, but they made sickening sounds.

Under two minutes to go they started to open up, and that was all Hunt needed.

Hunt dropped Bigfoot and cleaned up the work on the mat. The “Super Samoan” has scary power, and Silva has suffered numerous knockouts recently.

What did it? A right hand above the ear. Bigfoot collapsed.

This was a big win for Hunt. He was taken to task by Stipe Miocic, and it was a question what he would look like following that beating. He answered the call. Hunt looked to be in the best shape of his UFC career. The performance matched the physique. Brutal ending.

 

What’s Next for Bigfoot and Hunt?

  • Hunt should be right back in the thick of things at heavyweight. He is a fan favorite, and it isn’t a deep division. A big knockout performance thrust him right back toward the top.
  • Bigfoot’s time as a fighter may be coming to an end. There are only so many knockouts a fighter can take. Will he retire? Would the UFC keep him around if he chose to keep going? Those questions will be answered in the future, but I don’t think many associated with MMA want to see him to continue to take more unnecessary punishment.
  • A rematch with Ben Rothwell makes sense for Hunt. Hunt won their previous fight by decision, and both men are a couple fights away from a title shot. That fight could send the winner to a title eliminator. But the UFC has options with Hunt. There aren’t many heavyweights fans wouldn’t tune in to watch against the “Super Samoan.”

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UFC 193: Jared Rosholt Smothers Stefan Struve in Lackluster Opening Bout

UFC heavyweights Stefan Struve and Jared Rosholt entered UFC 193 on Saturday night with their eyes on moving up the rankings. Struve came in as the No. 14-ranked contender, while Rosholt had won back-to-back fights inside the Octagon.
Most eyes we…

UFC heavyweights Stefan Struve and Jared Rosholt entered UFC 193 on Saturday night with their eyes on moving up the rankings. Struve came in as the No. 14-ranked contender, while Rosholt had won back-to-back fights inside the Octagon.

Most eyes were on Struve. “The “Skyscraper” has long been an interesting fighter in the division. The 7-footer has competed against some of the best in the division, and he is only 27 years old—much younger than the average age of the top 10 heavyweights.

As the fight opened up, the height and reach advantage for Struve was almost comical.

The opening round started tentatively, but Rosholt soon found an opportunity to complete a takedown. Once he had Struve on his back, it was difficult for the Dutchman to get up with the former NCAA star on top. Rosholt easily took the first frame based on control.

At almost the same point in Round 2, about halfway through the round, Rosholt got another takedown. Struve did manage to get back to his feet, but Rosholt was still attached and took him right back to the mat. Rosholt did not do much damage, but he won on control. Struve made the round somewhat close by landing an upkick and some elbows while on his back, but it was likely not enough to take the round. The Australian crowd was not pleased with the action, and they let the fighters know at the end of the period.

Struve‘s low output continued at the beginning of the third round. He touched up Rosholt with a couple of crisp jabs but nothing substantial. Later in the round Struve connected on some more single shots, but then Rosholt completed another takedown with one minute left. This time, Struve managed to get up quickly, but he couldn’t do anything with the remaining time to finish the fight.

This was a disappointing fight that did nothing to elevate either man. It was not a great way to establish a new face at heavyweight.

Rosholt took the fight 29-28 on all three scorecards.

What’s Next for Rosholt and Struve?

The hope for this fight was that the winner would be in a position to make a little noise in the top 10 of the division, but that clearly didn’t happen. Regardless, Rosholt puts together three straight wins and needs another ranked fight.

Struve has to re-evaluate everything following this fight. He did next to nothing to win this fight. His takedown defense wasn’t very good, his striking was not effective, and he looked lethargic. If he wants to become a true contender, he has to be able to beat one-dimensional fighters such as Rosholt.

There is not an enticing option for Rosholt‘s next fight. At this juncture, it may be a top-tier fighter who loses his next fight in the coming months. Or perhaps he could face Ben Rothwell, who is still in need of a fight, but that is unappealing to everyone.

Who can be next for Struve? Shawn Jordan? Timothy Johnson? Who knows. The heavyweight division is so shallow, and Struve cannot fight anyone of note after this performance. Maybe the UFC will have him fight a debuting heavyweight in 2016. Regardless his options are limited. After this showing, few will be excited for whatever the UFC comes up with for the towering heavyweight.

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