UFC president Dana White saying Ronda Rousey is like the “female version” of Mike Tyson is one thing. But when Roy Jones Jr., one of Tyson’s boxing contemporaries, wholeheartedly agrees, well, maybe it’s time to give the comparison some credence.
Jones Jr. told Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour that being like Tyson is a “highly accurate description” of Rousey in the sense that people are excited about watching her destroy an opponent in under a minute.
“I think she is that devastating,” Jones Jr. said. “Anybody who can do something like that hand-to-hand combat wise, I’m definitely a fan of. I think that’s a proper name, a proper thing to refer her to — a proper reference for her.”
Rousey (11-0) beat Cat Zingano with an armbar submission in just 14 seconds Saturday night at UFC 184 to retain her UFC women’s bantamweight title. It was the quickest finish in UFC title fight history. In July, Rousey knocked out Alexis Davis in 16 seconds. And in February 2014, Rousey finished Sara McMann by TKO in 66 seconds.
In all, Rousey has finished every opponent but one (Miesha Tate) in the first round. Every opponent except two has succumbed via armbar. And there doesn’t seem to be too many fans complaining about the complete destruction “Rowdy” leaves in her wake.
“Yes, she is just like Mike Tyson and yes I would pay every time to watch her destroy somebody, I don’t care if it’s 10 seconds,” Jones Jr. said. “But because I know what she’s coming to do, I’m gonna pay to watch her, because I’m gonna be entertained for them 10 seconds that she’s in there. Which is the same reason I’d watch Roy Jones Jr. and the same reason I’d always watch Mike Tyson.”
Jones Jr., a former five-division boxing champion and one of the best of all time, is only two years younger then Tyson and their primes overlapped, so he’s coming from a position of expertise. Jones Jr., now 46, knocked out Willie Williams on Friday night in North Carolina and hopes to earn a cruiserweight title shot with a victory.
Jones Jr. didn’t watch the Rousey-Zingano fight when it happened, but saw the (very short) replay. Afterward at the post-fight press conference, White reiterated his previous stance about the champ.
“She is, without a doubt, that female version of him,” said White, who is a good friend of Tyson.
“There’s very few situations where a fight goes 14 seconds and the crowd is cheering and going crazy, looking at each other with their mouths open.”