Saturday night’s UFC 184 event offered more of that patented Ronda Rousey magic: the anticipation; the atmosphere; and the quick destruction of an opponent that leaves us all breathless and wondering who can possibly step up and give Rousey a run for her money.
Today, we take a look back at Saturday night and figure out what we learned, loved and hated. Leave your own thoughts in the comments below.
WHAT WE LEARNED
Ronda Rousey‘s dominance is something of a controversial subject. At least that’s what social media would have you believe. The more times Rousey goes out there and beats people in mere seconds, the less inclined folks at home will be to either buy pay-per-views with her headlining or to go out to a bar, pay a healthy cover charge and make an evening out of watching her defend her championship.
On Saturday night, I was afforded the opportunity to go out and watch UFC 184 at a sports bar. It was the first time in many years I’ve been able to do so. I am glad I did, because it was a learning experience.
When Rousey secured her awe-inspiring armbar—one of the best I have ever seen, by the way—the entire bar erupted in a fit of hooting and hollering. Men high-fived total strangers. Our waiter shook his head, as if he could not comprehend what he’d just seen. Three hours prior, he told me he believed Zingano had what it took to beat Rousey. Too big, too tough.
As it turns out, Zingano did not have what it took. Not on this night. And Rousey‘s 14-second submission left people celebrating, shaking their heads, wondering who in the world could possibly survive this woman, much less beat her.
And then I took a glance at Twitter to see what the hardcore fans thought about the fight. They always have an interesting opinion. It was interesting, to be sure, and also a little bit shocking. One said that Rousey‘s dominance would kill the sport. Another said that people wanted to see fights and wars and brawls, not quick destruction. Another swore they’d never order another Rousey fight.
Meanwhile, back in the real world, bar patrons were still shaking their heads at the marvel that is Ronda Rousey.
On this night, I learned that we hardcore fans probably can’t speak for the rest of the world. There will always be a place for those of us who watch every UFC and Bellator and World Series of Fighting show. But we view the mixed martial arts world quite differently than the casual fan. The casual fan doesn’t care if the fight they paid to see lasts for more than a minute, because they paid to see Rousey.
She is the biggest star in mixed martial arts, and she didn’t get to that level by having knock-down, drag-out wars with fighters clearly below her skill level. She got to that level by sheer and utter domination, by dispatching overmatched opponents in breathtaking fashion.
The comparison between Rousey and Mike Tyson has never been more apt. We remember Tyson not because he was one of the best heavyweight boxers of all time (he was not), but because he crushed people and did so in violent and memorable fashion. Rousey does the same.
The only difference? Rousey is by any measure the best female fighter in the history of mixed martial arts. She is a little bit Tyson, to be sure, but she is also a little bit Ali: brash, outspoken, violent and highly skilled. She is the best thing going in mixed martial arts, and we can only hope she’ll continue doing exactly what she’s doing far into the future.
WHAT WE LOVED
I have run out of superlatives for Rousey and what she accomplishes each time she steps in the Octagon. But it’s what happens before she steps in the cage that might be my favorite part of a Rousey fight night: her walkout.
Put simply, it is the best in the sport. She uses the same song every time, never changing like most UFC fighters, because she understands that a known walkout song is part of the package and part of her brand. So “Reputation” from Joan Jett hits, reverberating throughout the arena, and then, after a brief delay, Rousey is shown on the screen.
And what a visage: that scowl. The dead eyes. The fast-paced walkout, as though she cannot wait to get to the Octagon and do harm to the person waiting there.
It’s chilling. It makes you anticipate the fight. It’s the best walkout in the sport. And it’s not even close.
WHAT WE HATED
There is often a disconnect between the story UFC commentators Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan are trying to tell and what is happening in the Octagon.
I’m not as hard on Goldberg and Rogan as some. I imagine it is extraordinarily difficult to stay focused when you are calling as many MMA bouts as they have over the years. But there’s no excuse for not reacting to the action unfolding in front of them and sticking with the narrative the UFC pushed heading into a fight.
Holly Holm‘s UFC debut was highly anticipated. She has a good boxing background (though exactly how good is up for debate), and the UFC rightly pushed that angle before the fight. But once the actual fight started, a different story unfolded: Holm was visibly nervous, shaking uncontrollably while being checked by the cutman prior to stepping into the Octagon.
And once the fight began, her world-class boxing was mostly nowhere to be found. Instead, she was tentative. Opponent Raquel Pennington actually outstruck her.
But you’d never know it if you listened solely to Rogan and Goldberg’s commentary. They continued to push Holm‘s boxing, even as it proved to be mostly ineffective against Pennington. Holm‘s landed strikes were fawned over; Pennington’s were ignored. And when the final decision came, it felt like a Holm victory was a foregone conclusion. In reality, it was a close fight. But again, you’d never know if from listening to the commentary.
I understand Rogan and Goldberg’s job is to extend the promotional commentary and hype things a certain way. And that’s fine before the bell rings. But once the fight begins, they have a duty to call the action as they see it. At that point, the hype job is over.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com