One of these is not like the others. After racking up quick wins over her relatively brief professional career, UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey could face her toughest test in Japanese and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Alexis Davis. 3-0 since joining the UFC in 2013, Davis says she’s doing everything possible to prepare for Rousey’s signature armbar.
“Even watching some of her previous fights there’s a lot of stuff in my game obviously I’ve had to improve,’ Davis told Inside MMA. “She’s a dynamic, explosive fighter so it’s something I’ve been pushing.”
In addition to working on her wrestling part time at Team Alpha Male, Davis has enlisted the help of 5x world no-gi champion Caio Terra. Unceremoniously exiled for helping train Carlos Condit ahead of his UFC 143 bout with Nick Diaz, Terra was told to leave Team Caesar Gracie in 2012 by Gracie, himself. Davis, a black belt under Caesar Gracie, will now rely on Terra to survive Rousey’s dangerous technique.
“I definitely think I’m going to be able to stop the armbar,” said Davis “It’s something I train constantly, every day. Obviously she’s been training that and she’s been doing it in Judo for so long, but I’ve been training mixed martial arts for a long time, a lot of years. I train with world champion black belts. It’s not a problem for me. Black belts armbar me every day. I’m not afraid to say that but I defend them more often than I get [submitted by] them.”
Rousey, who claims six sub-60 second armbar victories, has failed to score a first-round finish just once in nine fights. All things considered, Davis isn’t letting Rousey’s impressive credentials gain any mental edge.
“Any other fighter can tell you, it’s a big mental game. Having somebody mean mug me across the Octagon doesn’t scare me. I had Jessica Eye doing it in my last fight in there. [Rousey’s] a great fighter. I totally respect her. I don’t know her personally, but as a fighter, you have to respect the skill sets the other fighter has. Especially when they’re strong and the champion. She’s the defending champion. She’s there for a reason. I’m going to push myself every single day and I don’t care what she looks like at the end. I’m going to end up with my hand raised.”
Ronda Rousey defends her women’s bantamweight title to Alexis Davis in the co-main event July 5 at UFC 175.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Brown’s shot. Matt Brown doesn’t see a downside for anyone but Johny Hendricks in letting him fight for the title. “I don’t know how I’d feel if I was on the outside, I don’t see what the problem with giving me a title shot would be.”
Alvarez talks concussion. Eddie Alvarez details the fallout surrounding his withdrawal from Bellator’s pay-per-view event. ‘It feels like my brain is sort of bruised.’
Fortunes changed for five. Dave Meltzer explains how Matt Brown, Erick Silva, Nik Lentz, Costas Philippou and Daron Cruickshank move forward following UFC Fight Night: Brown vs. Silva.
More McGregor. Dominick Cruz says more fighters should follow Conor McGregor’s lead and remember they’re in the entertainment business. ‘It’s funny, he’s clever, he’s got a nice accent and he comes in and he always dresses sharp. All that together creates something that people want to watch on TV. It’s entertainment.’
Time for change. Erick Silva says he’s looking into training outside Brazil following his performance against Matt Brown. ‘I won’t change my team, there is no chance. But, I also have to train in other places. I’ll meet great fighters in their fight camps, to watch what they do differently. I know that something lacks in my game.’
It’s Tuesday, so make sure to check out The MMA Hour with Matt Brown, Mark Hunt, Travis Browne, Michael Chandler, Eddie Alvarez, Will Brooks, Chris Lytle, Kenny Monday, Chuck Mindenhall.
MEDIA STEW
Fight Motion for UFC Fight Night: Brown vs. Silva.
Nice update on Matt Grice’s recovery. Part 2 here.
TTTHS.
GLORY’s greatest hits.
Vitor Belfort teaching Kelly Slater to headkick.
Wacky Ohio morning zoo radio DJs vlogged Matt Brown’s fight. Skip to 5:30 unless you’re a complete masochist. [I’m sorry]
Long watches.
Knuckle Up #418: We lose our minds over the best UFC card in 2014
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Co-Main Event Podcast Episode 103 (5/12/14)
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TWEETS
They’re ready.
When u train so hard you wait for the day it comes together. Today that happened for me. I can say now I’m 100% ready to fight. 1week. DC
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) May 12, 2014
I’m gonna do this boy in.. May 17th right outside my home town of Memphis,Ten… Live on ppv… http://t.co/u3PRRLfD9P
— Quinton Jackson (@Rampage4real) May 13, 2014
Here we go.
Here we go with the armchair quarterbacks telling me what I need to do lol I’m telling you some people.
— Erik Jon Koch (@NEWBREED04) May 12, 2014
Really?
I’ve been starting to get feeling back in my face after 3 years. Kinda liked not feeling punches #FighterProblems
— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) May 13, 2014
These colors don’t run.
This is the only green and orange ill rep till the end of days pic.twitter.com/dbxmpFj1hE
— Cole Miller (@colemillerATT) May 12, 2014
Pour one out.
Sorry dudes @brittneypalmer is off the market. Congrats Aaron & Britt! Been like fam since 06′ #wec… http://t.co/jceWSeEA4x
— Urijah Faber (@UrijahFaber) May 13, 2014
Ken Shamrock weighs in on Jay Z vs. Beyonce’s sister.
Ken Shamrock — Jay Z’s Bodyguard Sucks … He Failed In the Elevator http://t.co/bS5zQM6b70
— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) May 13, 2014
Nightmare fuel.
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (May 12 2014)
Nick LoBosco vs. Lance Palmer at WSOF 10
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via Da Headbanger.
What We NOW Know About UFC Fight Night 40
One hell of a night! That would be the absolute best way to describe the night as there were 7 KO/TKO’s for the night and a good chunk of the fights that went the distance were entertaining as well. The main event more than lived up to the hype as Matt Brown and Erick Silva both survived some perilous situations before Silva finally succumbed to the onslaught that Brown unleashed.
I had stated in one of my previews that this is the type of card that doesn’t catch the eye of the casual fan due to the lack of name recognition but ends up being the exact type of card that brings in new fans hook, line, and sinker. Only one fight on the main card was of questionable entertainment value and it wasn’t a total stinker either. The problem for me is that was one of the few things that I was right on…
I’m going to get the obvious out of the way… I totally bombed on my picks coming in at 5-8. I tried to pick some upsets due to the fact that there is always an upset or two that most (if not all) don’t see coming and I went for it… and whiffed on my attempts. That isn’t to say that there weren’t any upsets… I just didn’t see them coming. Funny how that works……
Check out the rest of the post here.
Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.