The weigh-ins are over, the main event is official, the only thing left to do is get Amanda Nunes and Ronda Rousey in the Octagon to fight for the bantamweight title Friday night.
Both Nunes and Rousey weighed in Thursday in Las Vegas at 135 pounds, which was good news for the UFC since two fighters (Johny Hendricks and Ray Borg) had already missed weight for their respective fights. The last thing Dana White and the new company owners needed was a second straight main event with a fighter not making weight, as UFC 206 saw Anthony Pettis report to the scales overweight for his featherweight interim title fight against Max Holloway.
But speaking of Rousey and Nunes, both fighters looked to be in tremendous shape, especially the former champion who, after a 13-month hiatus from the sport, looks to be in the best physical shape of her career.
Rousey gave the people what they wanted at the ceremonial weigh-in with her trademark scowl, as ESPN’s Brett Okamoto referred to in the tweet above, but perhaps the best part of the weigh-in came from her opponent as Nunes stayed true to her “Lioness” nickname.
One thing that many people overlooked was that Rousey was introduced first before Nunes as the challenger coming out of the blue corner, which is a strange sight to see, as she has been the most dominant champion that the division has ever seen.
MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani picked up on the rare occasion of seeing Rousey as a challenger, which, amazingly, hasn’t occurred in almost five years.
Because of the media blackout that Rousey and Nunes have been in for fight week, it’s difficult to gauge how either fighter will perform Friday night. Nunes looks looser than ever and has been smiling, playful and seems excited to be in the position she is in today.
As for Rousey? She wouldn’t even pose for a picture while standing on the scale during her official weigh-in.
She seems focused on the fight and nothing else, but it’s possible that by shutting out the world in her return to the Octagon and then all of the sudden being under the spotlight as millions of people watch to see if she triumphs or fails, she could end up feeling more pressure.
Whether she shows it or not, there’s no doubt that Rousey is nervous about this fight. Going up against a fierce striker in Nunes in a fight that will define her legacy as a fighter can’t be easy, but if anyone can silence the critics, it’s Rousey.
It’s a must-win fight for Rousey. Nunes will still be a top contender in the bantamweight division and will surely have another title shot coming in the next year or two if she loses, but what happens if Rousey loses?
That’s the million-dollar question. Rousey said that she only has a handful of fights left in her, but after hitting rock bottom in her loss to Holly Holm last year, would another loss be too much for her to deal with and try to fight again?
Nunes thinks so, but then again, she doesn’t envision Rousey beating her and taking her belt back. It would be shocking if this fight went past three rounds, as both fighters are always looking for a quick finish.
Whether it be a first-round knockout or submission, both fighters are capable of fighting on their feet or on the ground. Expect fireworks to go off at UFC 207.
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