Tag: Rankings/List

3 Fighters Ronda Rousey Must Beat Before She Cleans out the 135-Lb. Division

Let’s face it, at this point in the game, there are not many challenges left for Ronda Rousey. She has seemingly beat every legitimate fighter in the division at this point.
That said, there are still a couple of enticing fights that Rousey could secur…

Let’s face it, at this point in the game, there are not many challenges left for Ronda Rousey. She has seemingly beat every legitimate fighter in the division at this point.

That said, there are still a couple of enticing fights that Rousey could secure. Although she finds herself staring down a third meeting with Miesha Tate in the near future, there are a couple of matchups that could make sense for her going forward before she effectively clears out the division.

So, who are the three ladies that Rousey must beat before declaring the division cleaned out? Let’s take a look and examine these potential suitors.

 

Holly Holm

Of the three women listed, she is probably at the end of the line. That is because she is still young in her MMA career and improving. 

And although she has been a tad underwhelming since coming to the UFC, Holly Holm is still somebody that would be an interesting fight for Ronda Rousey to take before 135 is cleaned out.

A boxing world champion, Holm has some of the best striking in women’s MMA. She evidenced that before she ever stepped foot in the UFC, knocking out opponent after opponent.

Despite a lackluster premiere in which she narrowly beat Raquel Pennington, Holm looked much more relaxed and at ease in her most recent bout. There, she dominated Marion Reneau to put some wind back in her sails.

If she can pick up a win or two more, there is no doubt she will be in line for a title shot. This is especially because Rousey has already dominated pretty much everybody else in front of her in the rankings at this point.

 

Amanda Nunes

If there is a “most improved fighter award” for the UFC women’s bantamweight division, chances are Amanda Nunes would have taken that award. 

In seeing her most recent performances, that may have parlayed her into the title picture and earned her a potential bout with the champion, Rousey.

The turning point for Nunes came last weekend when she laid waste to former title challenger and Olympic silver medalist wrestler Sara McMann. Not only did she dominate the American, but Nunes finished her with an impressive rear-naked choke that put her in the minds of most fans.

In looking ahead of her in the rankings, ladies like Miesha Tate, Cat Zingano, McMann, Sarah Kaufman and others have had their changes and failed. Nunes has not had her chance, and given her recent performances, she should get her shot before the division is declared cleared out.

 

Cris “Cyborg” Justino

Yes, this is the fight fans want to see. I won’t go on writing about how she’s the only challenge left for Rousey because every writer and his mother have written an editorial about how Cris Justino is the only challenge left for Rousey and how the fans need this fight.

We get it. It’s the best fight left for Rousey and a potential box-office explosion for the UFC.

Here’s the thing though. Before Justino gets her fight with Rousey, it makes sense that she makes the 135-pound weight class once and fights there to prove she can make it.

Imagine the disaster that would come if Justino missed weight against Rousey, especially if she skips the process of doing it once before with Invicta (or the UFC). It would be a massive money loss, a let-down to the fans and an absolute shame to what would be a truly special fight.

Until then we wait, knowing Cyborg lurks in the shadows.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Rousimar Palhares and the 5 Dirtiest Fighters in MMA History

Rousimar Palhares finally exhausted his reserve of plausible deniability last week when he gouged the eyes and overcranked the shoulder of Jake Shields at World Series of Fighting 22.
The stunts cost Palhares his WSOF welterweight title and e…

Rousimar Palhares finally exhausted his reserve of plausible deniability last week when he gouged the eyes and overcranked the shoulder of Jake Shields at World Series of Fighting 22.

The stunts cost Palhares his WSOF welterweight title and earned him a suspension from both the promotion and the Nevada State Athletic Commission. A NSAC hearing on Palhares’ future is scheduled for September.

It was just the latest in a very long line of incidents with Palhares, mainly involving holding submission after an opponent has tapped out and the referee has intervened.

The whole thing got us to thinking. Where does Paul Harris, the meme-launching man, rank on the list of MMA‘s all-time dirtiest fighters? Forthwith, we researched, we recollected and we came up with this, the five dirtiest fighters in the history of our great sport. We’ve thrown in some honorable mentions as well.

They are ranked based on how dirty they were, how egregious their fouls have been and the frequency of those offenses. And we’re thinking only about inside-the-cage transgressions here, as opposed to out-of-competition offenses like performance-enhancing drug usage or run-ins with the law.

In other words, this list of dirty fighters takes the term fairly literally. These are guys who fight in a dirty fashion. So if you post a comment wondering about the absence of Vitor Belfort or “Lightning” Lee Murray, prepare to be ignored. Thank you for your understanding.

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10 Reasons Why It’s Ronda Rousey’s World

If you haven’t notice by now, UFC fighter Ronda Rousey is a pretty big deal.
Undefeated in her sport and, seemingly, everywhere on your TV and computer screen over the past few months, Rousey has shown that she has some charm behind the intensity she s…

If you haven’t notice by now, UFC fighter Ronda Rousey is a pretty big deal.

Undefeated in her sport and, seemingly, everywhere on your TV and computer screen over the past few months, Rousey has shown that she has some charm behind the intensity she shows inside of the Octagon, making her one bankable star.

And while there have been other athletes who have had amazing summers, here are 10 reasons why it’s Ronda Rousey‘s world, and we’re all just lucky enough to live in it.

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The Beaten Path: 5 Top MMA Prospects to Watch in August

Welcome to the dog days of summer. 
Everything slows down in August, and MMA is right there with it. Even the UFC, which is always shooting to break its own world record for number of events in a calendar year, is taking not one, but two weekends …

Welcome to the dog days of summer. 

Everything slows down in August, and MMA is right there with it. Even the UFC, which is always shooting to break its own world record for number of events in a calendar year, is taking not one, but two weekends off this month. 

But before you cock the straw hat too far down over your eyes, take heed. There is always churning going on somewhere in the MMA machine. Don’t worry, though. We here at The Beaten Path, Bleacher Report’s series on MMA prospects, are staying alert on your behalf.

We’ve found five up-and-coming fighters in action this month that you, the well-informed combat sports fan, should have on your radar. We’ve even included viewing coordinates and video clips.

If you’ve been here before, you know the rules. No UFC fighters are allowed, and Bellator and WSOF are only allowed under extenuating circumstances. With that, here they are, ranked based on record, level of competition and estimated future potential.

So brush away the flies and pay attention, bro.

As always, record information provided by Sherdog.com.

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Building the Ultimate UFC 194 Fight Card

Damon Martin of Fox Sports recently reported that the UFC is targeting Dec. 5 as a potential date for Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate III.
The amount of bad blood and championship bravado between these four stars is supera…

Damon Martin of Fox Sports recently reported that the UFC is targeting Dec. 5 as a potential date for Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate III.

The amount of bad blood and championship bravado between these four stars is superabundant, and it’s a set of title fights worthy of AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The well-known adage “everything is bigger in Texas” encapsulates the potential headlining bouts for UFC 194.

As two of the biggest rivalries in the game today, this would easily break every promotional record for a UFC event.

But it takes more than four to tango in order to create a jam-packed night teeming with scintillating action and meaningful divisional battles.

Based on Vice President for Talent Relations Joe Silva’s realistic matchmaking abilities, here is a final set of main card tilts that would round out this winter wonder in fashion.

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The 6 Worst Casts in the Ultimate Fighter History

Let’s face it, whether you are sick of it or not, The Ultimate Fighter is a big part of UFC history and a way that the company has spread its product to new fans.
That’s true even after over 20 seasons on the air.
The show has produced UFC champions, …

Let’s face it, whether you are sick of it or not, The Ultimate Fighter is a big part of UFC history and a way that the company has spread its product to new fans.

That’s true even after over 20 seasons on the air.

The show has produced UFC champions, legendary fighters and memorable fights that give it a place dear in all of our hearts. It’s had its ups and downs but has nonetheless been beneficial to both the company and fighters.

So, with all the great classes of fighters we have had, which seasons had the worst fighters?

That is what we must examine right now. Excluding international versions such as TUF Brazil, Latin America, China, Smashes and Nations, we need to take a look at the American portions of the show and see which seasons contributed the least amount of talent.

Without further ado, here are the six worst TUF casts in the show’s history.

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