When it comes to Ronda Rousey, Bethe Correia is downright tenacious, you know, when they’re not fighting.
Three days after Rousey knocked out Correia in 34 seconds to retain her UFC women’s bantamweight title, Correia is apparently attempting to rebuild the proverbial dam. Her ultimate goal these days? A rematch with Rousey. Can she win that rematch? Correia thinks so.
That’s according to comments she made to Brazilian website Combate (translation h/t Lucas Rezende of Bloody Elbow).
I want a triumphant return. I won’t accept ending 2016 without a UFC belt on my waist. Everything I want, I get. That will be my battle. … If she still has the belt next year, I will meet her again. I will get that belt. I think Ronda will be dethroned and I hope I get to do it. Everybody loses at one point.
Regarding that last sentence: Is that really true? As anyone with even a passing knowledge of MMA now knows, Rousey (12-0) has never even been seriously challenged. Only one opponent (Miesha Tate) has taken her out of the first round. Her last four fights ended in a total—not an average, but a total—of two minutes and 10 seconds. So, it’s not even a half-round of active cage time, combined, in four consecutive title defenses.
Even if the “everybody loses sometimes” sentiment is accurate, it’s hard at this point to imagine Correia (9-1) dishing out that historic defeat. Though Saturday’s UFC 190 was the scene of her first professional loss, Correia didn’t show a lot of resistance during the proceedings. She may have landed a punch or two and defended a token takedown attempt, but she was fully overwhelmed from the opening horn. A right hand to the temple put an end to the match with authority.
Correia shared her optimism and determination going forward via Twitter:
Não foi dessa vez! Como qualquer brasileira de raça! Meu sonho de ser campeã continua e vou lutar por… https://t.co/V3C6ykuYkM
— Bethe (@bethecorreia) August 2, 2015
There’s also the small matter that Correia, by beating Rousey’s lower-tier friends and issuing a stream of toxic smack, essentially talked her way into this title shot. With two career knockout wins and no submissions, it’s not like the 32-year-old Brazilian had a magical skill set at this level.
Perhaps her strongest skill as a fighter is self-belief. Or, perhaps more precisely, it’s self-delusion.
Rousey is tentatively expected to face Tate in her next fight. No opponent has been announced for Correia.
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