Author: Steven Cook

Rousey vs. Holm: UFC 193 Main Event Odds, Predictions, Tale of the Tape

The next chapter in the Ronda Rousey reign of domination will take place Saturday night in Melbourne, Australia, as she faces Holly Holm in the main event of UFC 193.
Rousey’s career dominance has been well-documented, with 11 of her 12 victories in th…

The next chapter in the Ronda Rousey reign of domination will take place Saturday night in Melbourne, Australia, as she faces Holly Holm in the main event of UFC 193.

Rousey‘s career dominance has been well-documented, with 11 of her 12 victories in the promotion coming in the first round of action. But she’ll face a test Saturday she hasn’t faced before, going up against one of the most decorated fighters in the history of women’s mixed martial arts.

Let’s take a look at the odds and predictions for the main event.

 

UFC 193 Main Event Odds

Odds courtesy of Odds Shark.

 

Rousey vs. Holm

This one is going to be good.

Rousey has constantly gone up against some of the most feared women in the bantamweight division and overcome them without much of an issue. You may have heard this before, but this time it’s true: Rousey has never faced anyone quite like her next opponent.

That’s because the 34-year-old Holm is as decorated as any fighter in the history of women’s MMA. Out of her whopping 38 fights, 33 have ended in victory, with only two losses. She’s lost just one time in the last 11 years.

Most of those victories have come as a boxer, which presents a new sort of challenge to Rousey and goes up against undoubtedly her only weakness—standing and striking. But when it comes to mixed martial arts, she can’t come close to matching what Rousey has done.

Take a look at the numbers Rousey has put up in the promotion, per ESPN Stats & Info:

It’s pretty spectacular that her career in the Octagon has not even spanned 30 minutes, while Holm has fought for that long in a number of fights. That just goes to show how dominant Rousey has been.

With that said, UFC President Dana White sees this as her toughest challenge to date, per CBS Sports’ Lyle Fitzsimmons.

“This is the biggest challenge Ronda has faced,” White said. “When you look at her combat sports experience, it’s not even close. She’s had three times the number of fights.”

Even though Holm is a perfect 9-0 in mixed martial arts, she hasn’t shown the level of dominance in submission that will even worry Rousey. All of her MMA fights have spanned more than one round, which Rousey can only say about one of her fights.

When it boils down to it, Rousey is impossible to stop once the fight gets on the ground. Holm may be able to delay the inevitable for a few minutes due to her striking prowess but not long enough to get out of the first round unscathed.

Prediction: Rousey wins via first-round submission

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UFC 193 Start Time: Full Card, TV Info, Live Stream, Rousey vs. Holm Picks

One of the most anticipated spectacles in mixed martial arts has finally arrived, as Ronda Rousey gears up to defend her women’s bantamweight title against Holly Holm in the main event of UFC 193.
Despite the main event featuring the most dominant name…

One of the most anticipated spectacles in mixed martial arts has finally arrived, as Ronda Rousey gears up to defend her women’s bantamweight title against Holly Holm in the main event of UFC 193.

Despite the main event featuring the most dominant name in the sport and a vaunted veteran trying to dethrone her, it’s just the final course of a scintillating fight card.

With that in mind, let’s look at the entire card and how to catch all of the action before further breaking down the Rousey-Holm spectacle.

 

UFC 193 Main Card

 

Main Event TV Info and Live Stream

 

Rousey vs. Holm

As if any fight featuring Rousey doesn’t generate enough attention, she and Holm only upped the intrigue for Saturday’s clash with some weigh-in dramatics.

Both fighters stepped onto the scale and tipped it at 134 pounds on the dot. They subsequently stepped up for their pre-fight picture, with each supposed to raise her fists toward the other and stand still.

That didn’t quite happen. Holm stepped in a little too close for Rousey‘s comfort, then pushing and shoving ensued that led folks to believe the fight might happen right there. SportsCenter captured a photo of the moment:

Holm will have her real shot at Rousey come Saturday night in the Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Australia. And if UFC President Dana White‘s comments are any indication, it will be her hardest opponent to beat yet.

Sure, Rousey has fought 12 times and won all of them. But none have come against the 34-year-old who is decorated with championships in virtually every major promotion outside of UFC.

Holm‘s amount of fights throughout her career could be to her advantage against Rousey, White told CBS Sports’ Lyle Fitzsimmons.

“This is the biggest challenge Ronda has faced,” White said. “When you look at her combat sports experience, it’s not even close. She’s had three times the number of fights.”

Holm has had exponentially more experience in the Octagon than Rousey, whose 12 fights hardly span half an hour of time. In 11 of those, she’s won in the first round, and her opponent hasn’t made it past a minute in eight of them.

But Holm isn’t your average Rousey opponent, as she’s well-versed in the sport—perhaps more so than Rousey. That doesn’t take anything away from Rousey‘s incredible power and submission dominance but should still put her on alert.

Holm will do well to extend the fight past the minute mark and avoid getting taken down in the early goings, but she won’t be able to delay the inevitable. Rousey gets her to the canvas in the middle of Round 1, submitting her with ease to preserve her title as the best fighter in the sport.

Prediction: Rousey wins via first-round submission.

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UFC 193: Latest Rousey vs. Holm Fight Card Predictions and Projected Winners

Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm clash in the Octagon for the main event of UFC 193, capping a spectacular fight card that will give the Melbourne, Australia mixed martial arts fans plenty to rave about.
The intense Friday weigh-in dramatics only set the st…

Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm clash in the Octagon for the main event of UFC 193, capping a spectacular fight card that will give the Melbourne, Australia mixed martial arts fans plenty to rave about.

The intense Friday weigh-in dramatics only set the stage for Rousey-Holm in the women’s bantamweight title showdown even more, but that’s only the last fight of a jam-packed card filled with some of UFC’s best. Take a look below for the full breakdown as well as predictions.

 

UFC 193 Main Card, Projected Winners

 

Fight to Watch

Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm

I mean, is there really any question?

Sure, there may be multiple championship bouts on the card with a scintillating women’s strawweight battle just before. There’s also some well-established heavyweights among the main card, including Mark Hunt, Antonio Silva and the seven-foot “Skyscraper” Stefan Struve.

But those are all mere appetizers for the Ronda Rousey show.

Once again, Rousey gets ready to step into the Octagon as an unbelievably huge favorite—a 1-19 favorite on Odds Shark, to be exact. Holm has just 12-1 odds to mount the upset, and it’s not hard to see why.

Out of Rousey‘s 12 fights in the UFC, she’s won all in convincing fashion. Oh, and 11 of those have come in the first round. In that span, she’s hardly spent half an hour in the ring—the same time some men’s title fighters spend on a single fight.

Hardly anyone expects Holm to mount the upset, but she’s not backing down as UFC president Dana White‘s Twitter showed:

Despite the theatrics during weigh-ins, Rousey undoubtedly has a lot of respect for one of the most decorated fighters in women’s mixed martial arts. The 34-year-old Holm is known for her standing-and-striking prowess.

Her 33-2 record that includes championships in practically every promotion outside of UFC displays that. But that’s not to say Rousey hasn’t heated things up and made it personal between the two leading up to this one, as Fox Sports UFC showed:

Aside from the personal jabs and all the weigh-in drama, the fact remains—Holly Holm will have to step into the Octagon with Ronda Rousey, and the results won’t be pretty.

It won’t be long-lasting, either. As Rousey has proven throughout her career, even when foes try to avoid getting in tight where she can punish them, that’s only delaying the inevitable.

Holm has the smarts to make this a one- to two-minute fight, but that’s about all she’ll be able to do before Rousey takes her out.

 

Prediction: Rousey wins via submission in first round

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Rousey vs. Holm: Latest Comments, Weigh-in Info and Predictions for UFC 193

The next chapter of Ronda Rousey’s tour of domination through mixed martial arts continues Saturday night in Australia, when she faces Holly Holm in the main event of UFC 193.
Friday’s weigh-in was nothing close to cordial between the two bantamweight …

The next chapter of Ronda Rousey‘s tour of domination through mixed martial arts continues Saturday night in Australia, when she faces Holly Holm in the main event of UFC 193.

Friday’s weigh-in was nothing close to cordial between the two bantamweight stars, who traded pushes, shoves and some choice words shortly after they both successfully weighed in at 134 pounds. That only sets the stage for what should be another memorable fight.

Let’s take a closer look into everything to know for Rousey-Holm, along with predictions for the bout.

Rousey vs. Holm Preview and Prediction

Rousey and Holm do not like each other.

Can you tell? If you saw any bit of Friday’s weigh-in extravaganza from Melbourne, you’re likely aware of this.

Take a look at the moment the two shared during weigh-ins, with UFC President Dana White having to prevent them from duking it out right there:

Most of Rousey’s fights throughout her UFC career haven’t included fireworks like this in the weigh-ins. That would seem to indicate a bit more is on the line than usual, and Holm’s career suggests that as well.

Rousey talked up her opponent shortly after the fight was announced, giving Holm props as the toughest striker she’s ever faced, per ESPN.com’s Brett Okamoto:

“She’s the most decorated striker we have in all of mixed martial arts,” Rousey said of Holm. “Definitely my biggest challenge to date. I’m super excited about it.”

Rousey later added: “She’s not the average chick I would fight. She’s the best striker I’ve ever fought, and striking is something I learned much later in my career.”

Rousey may have never faced a fighter quite like Holm. But neither Holm nor the rest of the UFC has ever seen anyone quite like Rousey.

She wins every time she steps into the Octagon, and she typically does so before the folks at home can get settled into their seats. If you miss the opening 30 seconds, you’ve likely missed all there is to see.

Take a look at what Rousey has done in MMA, which includes 11 of 12 victories coming in the first round, per ESPN Stats & Info:

Holm, and every other woman on the roster, has heard nothing other than how Rousey has ended fights within the first minute. The 34-year-old Holm has the poise and mentality necessary to avoid that. 

But she doesn’t have enough to avoid the inevitable—which is another Rousey victory in the first round. Holm will get too close after establishing herself early, and Rousey will take advantage, submitting her with ease to win her 13th fight in as many appearances.

Prediction: Rousey wins via first-round submission.

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Cormier vs. Gustafsson Results: Highlights and Reaction from UFC 192

Daniel Cormier showed his grit and toughness like never before, overcoming an incredible challenge from Alexander Gustafsson in a five-round slugfest to retain the light heavyweight title at UFC 192 in Houston on Saturday night.
The fight was so close …

Daniel Cormier showed his grit and toughness like never before, overcoming an incredible challenge from Alexander Gustafsson in a five-round slugfest to retain the light heavyweight title at UFC 192 in Houston on Saturday night.

The fight was so close that the judges couldn’t even agree on the outcome, producing a split-decision result in which Cormier won with scores of 49-46 and 48-47. One judge ruled it 48-47 in favor of Gustafsson, which wasn’t quite enough to pull off the upset.

As UFC notes, Cormier and Gustafsson took part in a bout that will immediately go down as a classic:

Cuts all over Gustafsson’s face and serious bleeding made it apparent that Cormier laid a beating on his opponent, but the same could be said of the champion. The Swedish challenger succeeded in turning the 25-minute bout into a dirty brawl, standing and striking to land numerous crushing blows to Cormier’s face.

When the dust settled and Cormier stood with the belt, he couldn’t help but laud his opponent for giving him quite the beating, per MMAFighting.com:

Based on Cormier’s comments after the fight, his title retention was far from easy.

Despite that, it seemed early on that Cormier was going to ground-and-pound his opponent into submission just as he’s done countless times to taller opponents. The 36-year-old notched an early takedown, ripping Gustafsson to the mat with force and making Round 1 a nasty affair on the ground.

As Motmaitre noted, keeping Gustafsson on the bottom was a big key to winning the fight:

Instead of keeping the fight on the mat where he had a decided advantage, however, Cormier proved unable to fight that way as the five rounds wore on. Gustafsson’s evasive abilities kept him standing, where he could punish Cormier with brutal punches and knees.

Along with some timely takedowns, Gustafsson fought his way back into it in the middle rounds. With the bout entering a fifth and final round that would decide the fight, UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman chimed in:

Gustafsson seemed intent on avoiding the final-round takedown in Round 5, but Cormier obliged and chose to punish his opponent’s face even further. The bleeding from Gustafsson’s face was so severe that the referee could have stopped the fight.

But the Swede held on in the final round, as the fight went to the judges’ scorecards that left him oh so close to a career-changing victory.

Regardless, Cormier heaped praise upon his opponent after the fight, per Chamatkar Sandhu of MMAJunkie.com:

While Cormier’s status as the light heavyweight champion is still secure after Saturday night, reasons cropped up to believe it will be short-lived. His struggles in dealing with Gustafsson’s power leave many believing that when (or if) Jon Jones makes his likely return, he won’t have trouble getting back his belt.

Still, that didn’t produce any reason to discount what Cormier has done in the time since, as Luke Thomas of MMAFighting.com noted:

There’s no telling what’s next for Gustafsson, who will likely once again need some extra time to heal and recover after taking another beating. The loss gives him three losses in his last four fights, although two have been tight affairs for the title.

Given his performance Saturday, it won’t be long until Gustafsson gets another crack at the belt. As for Cormier, he can at least enjoy several more months at the top.

The shadow of Jones obviously appeared over this fight and will continue to be a footnote to Cormier’s title until he puts that talk to rest by facing off against Bones for the second time.

Until then, it’s Cormier’s world in the light heavyweight spectrum of the UFC, and everyone else is just living in it. 

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Cormier vs. Gustafsson: Results, Highlights and Post-Fight Comments from UFC 192

He had to battle past a treacherous task, but Daniel Cormier withstood a brutal beating from Alexander Gustafsson on Saturday night at UFC 192 in Houston to retain his light heavyweight title.
The main event lasted all five rounds, a whopping 25 minute…

He had to battle past a treacherous task, but Daniel Cormier withstood a brutal beating from Alexander Gustafsson on Saturday night at UFC 192 in Houston to retain his light heavyweight title.

The main event lasted all five rounds, a whopping 25 minutes of action that left viewers unable to look away as the two 205-pound menaces traded blows and grappled around the octagon. It was such a close fight that the judges couldn’t even agree, making it a split decision.

But in the end, Cormier got the nod when Bruce Buffer announced his name as the champion, per UFC:

The judges failed to come to a consensus after the fight. With scores of 49-46 and 48-47 in favor of Cormier and one score of 48-47 for Gustafsson, it could have easily been split the other way.

It wasn’t hard to see why the judges had a difficult time agreeing with one another. Aside from Cormier‘s lone loss in his UFC career to Jon Jones, he took his most brutal beating in his six-year pro career.

Early on, it appeared that Cormier was going to make good on his supreme advantage—the ground and pound. All of six inches shorter than his opponent, Cormier established that quickly with a Round 1 takedown, bloodying up Gustafsson in the process.

MMAFighting.com noted one instance where Cormier threw Gustafsson around like a rag doll:

But as the fight wore along and Cormier looked more fatigued, he seemed to abandon it altogether, as Matthew Campbell of WSFB noted:

Part of that was due to Gustafsson‘s impeccable takedown defense, as he dodged Cormier repeatedly and ran circles around him, defiantly avoiding any chance for Cormier to take him down. That allowed the Swede to make it a dirty fight, throwing hands and swelling up Cormier‘s right eye.

Even in the wake of a close defeat, Gustafsson‘s performance was worth lauding and nearly worth a win, as MMA History Today observed:

When the fight rolled into the late rounds and Cormier continued to prove unable to take Gustafsson down, it appeared to be anyone’s fight to win. But in what seemed like a winner-take-all Round 5, Cormier stepped up to the task and laid it all on the line.

With Gustafsson’s face dark red and severely cut up, all Cormier had to do was land a few more big blows in the final five minutes. He did just that, seeming to take the final round in convincing fashion.

That left him as a split-decision winner, but obviously worse for wear and acknowledging the fight he got from Gustafsson, per UFC:

“The Mauler” made good on his well-earned nickname, taking it to the light heavyweight champion in full force and nearly coming away with a long-awaited title. But just as was the case in 2013 against Jones, he came up inches short of glory.

The obvious question as to what’s next revolves around Jones himself, as it’s long been expected that the former champion will get his chance to return against Saturday’s winner. And unsurprisingly, Jones chimed in on social media before deleting it, but Danny Segura of MMAFighting.com captured it beforehand:

Before Cormier truly turns the page to get ready for a scintillating rematch with Jones, however, he reaped praise upon Gustafsson after a memorable fight, per Matt Erickson and Justin Park of MMAJunkie.com:

“Alexander Gustafsson is an absolute stud,” Cormier said. “He’s one of the best fighters in the world. The sport needs guys like Alexander Gustafsson who can go out there and lay it all on the line against the best fighters in the world.”

The fight with Gustafsson may end up helping Cormier in the long run, who learned to bring it against one of the best standing strikers in the sport. The way he fine-tuned his fighting style to beat him anyway, despite playing into his opponent’s strengths, was nothing short of amazing.

It will take even more for Cormier to be able to do the same against Jones, but after rising above a stiff test from the one man who has come closest to beating Jones, Cormier should be flying high despite taking a heavy beating.

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