Tag: UFC 190

UFC 190: How Many More Fights Does Ronda Rousey Have Left?

UFC 190 should be titled “The Ronda Rousey Show,” as much of the promotion leading into this weekend’s event has provided multiple looks at the reigning women’s bantamweight champion. Rousey has grown to become one of the most i…

UFC 190 should be titled “The Ronda Rousey Show,” as much of the promotion leading into this weekend’s event has provided multiple looks at the reigning women’s bantamweight champion. Rousey has grown to become one of the most important fighters on the UFC roster—if not the biggest star the organization has to offer.

However, with each fight that draws closer, one must wonder how many more times we will see this former Olympian in the cage. At this rate, the MMA community can only hope she will continue competing as frequently as her schedule allows.

Rousey is set to face off against the No. 5 women’s bantamweight competitor in Bethe Correia Saturday night. She’s traveling into the undefeated Brazilian’s home country, but even still, Rousey doesn’t seem to be as much of a villain as other foreign fighters have been in the past.

Correia represents a dwindling field of challengers within the women’s 135-pound group. Looking at the current Top 10 as ranked by the UFC, Rousey has already defeated six of those individuals. Correia has the potential to be the seventh fighter on that list.

Unfortunately, the current direction of the division doesn’t seem welcoming to new challengers, as Miesha Tate continues to remain relevant within the group. Her recent victory over Jessica Eye has granted her the listing as the No. 1 contender to the winner of UFC 190’s main event.

However, the question is whether or not a third bout between Rousey and Tate would garner fan attention. Rousey, on the other hand, is welcoming of the opportunity.

“If she’s the best competitor and she’s who the fans want to see then, yeah, I’m extremely interested in doing it,” Rousey said during a UFC 190 media call, as reported by MMA Junkie.

If Rousey gets by both Correia and Tate, what is left for the 28-year old champion? Multiple opportunities are presenting themselves to Rousey outside of MMA.

She has recently been added to the upcoming action movie Mile 22 to go along with her other ongoing projects. And as her brand continues to expand into Hollywood, more lucrative opportunities will fall at her feet. If the current slate of contenders doesn’t feature any interesting names, few would fault Rousey at taking advantage of other projects that will pull her away from fighting.

Rousey herself recognizes the need for other fighters to rise up and make these fights compelling for fans.   

“I need these other girls. It’s not like I could do this by myself. I need a dancing partner,” Rousey said, per Damon Martin of Fox Sports. “The analogy I use a lot is these girls are like plants—sometimes you can grow a crop and harvest it year after year like Miesha and sometimes you harvest it once and it will never grow back, like I don’t think Bethe will ever come back after this.”

One name that is sitting on the list is Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino. The former Strikeforce and current Invicta champion is a longtime rival of Rousey. Even though they’ve never fought, the two women have verbally sparred back and forth for years. Unfortunately, the sticking point in a match between these two women surrounds the weight class in which they would meet.

As reported by Sherdog‘s Tristen Critchfield in March, the UFC has signed Justino to a deal with the stipulation that she must compete at 135 pounds while in Invicta before she can be considered an option to fight Rousey. During her last appearance in the cage, she defeated Faith Van Duin in 45 seconds to retain her Invicta featherweight title.

As of this moment, there isn’t an official word as to when or if Justino will attempt to make the 135-pound limit to bring this dream fight with Rousey one step closer. When looking at the current list of potential opponents for Rousey’s future, Justino should be the top candidate for big box-office numbers.

The current roster of UFC fighters is suffering a dearth of big names that can attract attention across all spectrums of entertainment. Rousey is perhaps the most important name on the company payroll. Unfortunately, a lack of worthy opponents and growing outside opportunities make it more and more realistic to expect her to walk away from the sport sooner than later.

Hopefully Rousey will find a way to keep MMA a part of her life for as long as possible.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 190: How Many More Fights Does Ronda Rousey Have Left?

UFC 190 should be titled “The Ronda Rousey Show,” as much of the promotion leading into this weekend’s event has provided multiple looks at the reigning women’s bantamweight champion. Rousey has grown to become one of the most i…

UFC 190 should be titled “The Ronda Rousey Show,” as much of the promotion leading into this weekend’s event has provided multiple looks at the reigning women’s bantamweight champion. Rousey has grown to become one of the most important fighters on the UFC roster—if not the biggest star the organization has to offer.

However, with each fight that draws closer, one must wonder how many more times we will see this former Olympian in the cage. At this rate, the MMA community can only hope she will continue competing as frequently as her schedule allows.

Rousey is set to face off against the No. 5 women’s bantamweight competitor in Bethe Correia Saturday night. She’s traveling into the undefeated Brazilian’s home country, but even still, Rousey doesn’t seem to be as much of a villain as other foreign fighters have been in the past.

Correia represents a dwindling field of challengers within the women’s 135-pound group. Looking at the current Top 10 as ranked by the UFC, Rousey has already defeated six of those individuals. Correia has the potential to be the seventh fighter on that list.

Unfortunately, the current direction of the division doesn’t seem welcoming to new challengers, as Miesha Tate continues to remain relevant within the group. Her recent victory over Jessica Eye has granted her the listing as the No. 1 contender to the winner of UFC 190’s main event.

However, the question is whether or not a third bout between Rousey and Tate would garner fan attention. Rousey, on the other hand, is welcoming of the opportunity.

“If she’s the best competitor and she’s who the fans want to see then, yeah, I’m extremely interested in doing it,” Rousey said during a UFC 190 media call, as reported by MMA Junkie.

If Rousey gets by both Correia and Tate, what is left for the 28-year old champion? Multiple opportunities are presenting themselves to Rousey outside of MMA.

She has recently been added to the upcoming action movie Mile 22 to go along with her other ongoing projects. And as her brand continues to expand into Hollywood, more lucrative opportunities will fall at her feet. If the current slate of contenders doesn’t feature any interesting names, few would fault Rousey at taking advantage of other projects that will pull her away from fighting.

Rousey herself recognizes the need for other fighters to rise up and make these fights compelling for fans.   

“I need these other girls. It’s not like I could do this by myself. I need a dancing partner,” Rousey said, per Damon Martin of Fox Sports. “The analogy I use a lot is these girls are like plants—sometimes you can grow a crop and harvest it year after year like Miesha and sometimes you harvest it once and it will never grow back, like I don’t think Bethe will ever come back after this.”

One name that is sitting on the list is Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino. The former Strikeforce and current Invicta champion is a longtime rival of Rousey. Even though they’ve never fought, the two women have verbally sparred back and forth for years. Unfortunately, the sticking point in a match between these two women surrounds the weight class in which they would meet.

As reported by Sherdog‘s Tristen Critchfield in March, the UFC has signed Justino to a deal with the stipulation that she must compete at 135 pounds while in Invicta before she can be considered an option to fight Rousey. During her last appearance in the cage, she defeated Faith Van Duin in 45 seconds to retain her Invicta featherweight title.

As of this moment, there isn’t an official word as to when or if Justino will attempt to make the 135-pound limit to bring this dream fight with Rousey one step closer. When looking at the current list of potential opponents for Rousey’s future, Justino should be the top candidate for big box-office numbers.

The current roster of UFC fighters is suffering a dearth of big names that can attract attention across all spectrums of entertainment. Rousey is perhaps the most important name on the company payroll. Unfortunately, a lack of worthy opponents and growing outside opportunities make it more and more realistic to expect her to walk away from the sport sooner than later.

Hopefully Rousey will find a way to keep MMA a part of her life for as long as possible.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 190 Fight Card: Odds, Projected Winner for Rousey vs. Correia and Top Fights

Ronda Rousey and Bethe Correia will close out a card with plenty of recognizable faces at UFC 189. The crowd in Rio de Janeiro will witness some of the biggest Brazilian names to come through the sport as a prelude to the women’s bantamweight title fig…

Ronda Rousey and Bethe Correia will close out a card with plenty of recognizable faces at UFC 189. The crowd in Rio de Janeiro will witness some of the biggest Brazilian names to come through the sport as a prelude to the women’s bantamweight title fight. 

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua will take on Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in a rematch of a bout that took place a decade ago under the Pride banner. Meanwhile, his brother, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, will take on Stefan Struve in heavyweight action. 

The heavy Brazilian flavor of the card doesn’t stop there, though. Two champions of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 4 will be crowned. Reginaldo Vieira takes on Dileno Lopes in bantamweight action, while Glaico Franca and Fernando Bruno will do battle for the lightweight crown. 

Here’s a look at the complete seven-fight main card, along with the latest odds from Odds Shark. 

 

Biggest Fights of the Night

Claudia Gadelha vs. Jessica Aguilar

The women’s strawweight bout between Claudia Gadelha and Jessica Aguilar might kick off the pay-per-view card, but it’s one of the most important of the night. Nathan McCarter of Bleacher Report even made a case that it should have been the evening’s co-main event. 

Big Nog, Little Nog and Shogun may be yesteryear’s Brazilian stars, but wins for any of them at UFC 190 aren’t putting them in their prospective title pictures. The winner of Gadelha vs. Aguilar will certainly be in the mix for the next shot at Joanna Jedrzejczyk.

As Jesse Scheckner of MMA Owl noted, Aguilar is one of the most talented strawweights, but her welcoming party to the UFC will be a tough one. 

As dominant as the champion looked in beating Carla Esparza and Jessica Penne, Gadelha fared much better against her. She actually managed to get Jedrzejczyk to the ground seven times in a split-decision loss, as noted by FightMetric. 

Aguilar’s credentials are no joke. She’s on a 10-fight win streak that includes names like Esparza and Megumi Fujii. She also held a title in World Series of Fighting. She’s a well-rounded fighter who is capable of holding her own in the striking department as well as in grappling. 

However, she doesn’t do anything as well as Gadelha grapples. In a battle of high-level fighters, the one who does one thing extremely well has a bit of an advantage. It should be the difference as Gadelha maintains control throughout the majority of a competitive three-round affair. 

Gadelha by decision

 

Shogun Rua vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

It’s been five years since Shogun Rua defeated Lyoto Machida for the light heavyweight championship. Since then, he promptly lost the title to Jon Jones and has gone 3-6. His co-main event fight against Nogueira is most likely his last shot at any semblance of relevance. 

Nogueira never quite reached the level of prominence that Shogun has in his career. He hasn’t fought for a title in either the UFC or Pride. Shogun put an end to his brief run in the Pride middleweight Grand Prix in 2005. 

In the same span that Rua has gone 3-6, Nogueira is 2-2. That doesn’t speak highly of his ability to stay healthy. Four fights since March 2011 isn’t ideal. It does, however, show that Little Nog might have a little more left in the tank. 

These two fighters aren’t the same as they were 10 years ago, and Little Nog believes the current version of himself is more prepared to change the result. 

“I’m confident, and I believe the fight could be a little different this time,” Nogueira said, via Guilherme Cruz of MMA Fighting. “I’m stronger, heavier than when we fought the first time. I weighed 213 pounds at that time, and I weighed 227 pounds when I started my camp—and I believe I will weigh 227 pounds on fight night. I will be stronger to fight him in the clinch.”

The additional weight might not be as important as the fact that Rua has been finished in three of his last four fights. Expect what’s left of Nogueira to be better than what’s left of Shogun.

Nogueira by second-round TKO

 

Ronda Rousey vs. Bethe Correia

The question of the main event isn’t really whether Ronda Rousey will win. It’s how and when. 

Even though both fighters are undefeated, their respective levels of competition are simply incomparable. Rousey has picked off the majority of the top 10 in the division. Correia‘s three victories have come over fighters with a collective 1-7 record in the UFC. 

There’s a reason Rousey is one of the UFC’s biggest stars. She’s a force of nature with a combination of athleticism and technique that is far more developed than the majority of fighters in the young division. The result is a fighter who has won her last three fights in a combined 96 seconds. 

But will she dispose of Correia in a similar time? The only reason to believe she won’t is anecdotal. Rousey‘s ability to secure quick submissions should be an available option for her because Correia looks to do most of her damage at close quarters, where Rousey is so good at executing throws and locking in submissions.

However, as this UFC video showed, Rousey is heavily emotionally invested in this opponent:

We’ve seen Rousey fight against opponents she doesn’t care for before. Her rivalry with Miesha Tate is well-documented, as the two have fought twice, and Tate is the only fighter to survive more than a round with the champion.

If Rousey truly wants to make an example of Correia, this could go beyond the usual length for a Rousey title defense.

If the Rowdy One decides she’s not all that into making Correia suffer after all, it will be another short night. Even with Correia‘s undefeated record, she simply isn’t as athletic or technical on the ground as her opponent.

Rousey via first-round submission

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 190 Fight Card: Odds, Projected Winner for Rousey vs. Correia and Top Fights

Ronda Rousey and Bethe Correia will close out a card with plenty of recognizable faces at UFC 189. The crowd in Rio de Janeiro will witness some of the biggest Brazilian names to come through the sport as a prelude to the women’s bantamweight title fig…

Ronda Rousey and Bethe Correia will close out a card with plenty of recognizable faces at UFC 189. The crowd in Rio de Janeiro will witness some of the biggest Brazilian names to come through the sport as a prelude to the women’s bantamweight title fight. 

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua will take on Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in a rematch of a bout that took place a decade ago under the Pride banner. Meanwhile, his brother, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, will take on Stefan Struve in heavyweight action. 

The heavy Brazilian flavor of the card doesn’t stop there, though. Two champions of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 4 will be crowned. Reginaldo Vieira takes on Dileno Lopes in bantamweight action, while Glaico Franca and Fernando Bruno will do battle for the lightweight crown. 

Here’s a look at the complete seven-fight main card, along with the latest odds from Odds Shark. 

 

Biggest Fights of the Night

Claudia Gadelha vs. Jessica Aguilar

The women’s strawweight bout between Claudia Gadelha and Jessica Aguilar might kick off the pay-per-view card, but it’s one of the most important of the night. Nathan McCarter of Bleacher Report even made a case that it should have been the evening’s co-main event. 

Big Nog, Little Nog and Shogun may be yesteryear’s Brazilian stars, but wins for any of them at UFC 190 aren’t putting them in their prospective title pictures. The winner of Gadelha vs. Aguilar will certainly be in the mix for the next shot at Joanna Jedrzejczyk.

As Jesse Scheckner of MMA Owl noted, Aguilar is one of the most talented strawweights, but her welcoming party to the UFC will be a tough one. 

As dominant as the champion looked in beating Carla Esparza and Jessica Penne, Gadelha fared much better against her. She actually managed to get Jedrzejczyk to the ground seven times in a split-decision loss, as noted by FightMetric. 

Aguilar’s credentials are no joke. She’s on a 10-fight win streak that includes names like Esparza and Megumi Fujii. She also held a title in World Series of Fighting. She’s a well-rounded fighter who is capable of holding her own in the striking department as well as in grappling. 

However, she doesn’t do anything as well as Gadelha grapples. In a battle of high-level fighters, the one who does one thing extremely well has a bit of an advantage. It should be the difference as Gadelha maintains control throughout the majority of a competitive three-round affair. 

Gadelha by decision

 

Shogun Rua vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

It’s been five years since Shogun Rua defeated Lyoto Machida for the light heavyweight championship. Since then, he promptly lost the title to Jon Jones and has gone 3-6. His co-main event fight against Nogueira is most likely his last shot at any semblance of relevance. 

Nogueira never quite reached the level of prominence that Shogun has in his career. He hasn’t fought for a title in either the UFC or Pride. Shogun put an end to his brief run in the Pride middleweight Grand Prix in 2005. 

In the same span that Rua has gone 3-6, Nogueira is 2-2. That doesn’t speak highly of his ability to stay healthy. Four fights since March 2011 isn’t ideal. It does, however, show that Little Nog might have a little more left in the tank. 

These two fighters aren’t the same as they were 10 years ago, and Little Nog believes the current version of himself is more prepared to change the result. 

“I’m confident, and I believe the fight could be a little different this time,” Nogueira said, via Guilherme Cruz of MMA Fighting. “I’m stronger, heavier than when we fought the first time. I weighed 213 pounds at that time, and I weighed 227 pounds when I started my camp—and I believe I will weigh 227 pounds on fight night. I will be stronger to fight him in the clinch.”

The additional weight might not be as important as the fact that Rua has been finished in three of his last four fights. Expect what’s left of Nogueira to be better than what’s left of Shogun.

Nogueira by second-round TKO

 

Ronda Rousey vs. Bethe Correia

The question of the main event isn’t really whether Ronda Rousey will win. It’s how and when. 

Even though both fighters are undefeated, their respective levels of competition are simply incomparable. Rousey has picked off the majority of the top 10 in the division. Correia‘s three victories have come over fighters with a collective 1-7 record in the UFC. 

There’s a reason Rousey is one of the UFC’s biggest stars. She’s a force of nature with a combination of athleticism and technique that is far more developed than the majority of fighters in the young division. The result is a fighter who has won her last three fights in a combined 96 seconds. 

But will she dispose of Correia in a similar time? The only reason to believe she won’t is anecdotal. Rousey‘s ability to secure quick submissions should be an available option for her because Correia looks to do most of her damage at close quarters, where Rousey is so good at executing throws and locking in submissions.

However, as this UFC video showed, Rousey is heavily emotionally invested in this opponent:

We’ve seen Rousey fight against opponents she doesn’t care for before. Her rivalry with Miesha Tate is well-documented, as the two have fought twice, and Tate is the only fighter to survive more than a round with the champion.

If Rousey truly wants to make an example of Correia, this could go beyond the usual length for a Rousey title defense.

If the Rowdy One decides she’s not all that into making Correia suffer after all, it will be another short night. Even with Correia‘s undefeated record, she simply isn’t as athletic or technical on the ground as her opponent.

Rousey via first-round submission

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Ronda Rousey vs. Bethe Correia: Updated Odds, Predictions Before Weigh-in

Ronda Rousey will put her unbeaten record on the line and attempt to defend her UFC women’s bantamweight title for the sixth time Saturday night when she faces Brazilian powerhouse Bethe Correia in the main event of UFC 190.
Correia has the home-field …

Ronda Rousey will put her unbeaten record on the line and attempt to defend her UFC women’s bantamweight title for the sixth time Saturday night when she faces Brazilian powerhouse Bethe Correia in the main event of UFC 190.

Correia has the home-field advantage with the event taking place in Rio de Janeiro and has a similar undefeated record, but there’s little else in her favor going into this one. The 28-year-old Rousey has never looked more invincible as she stakes her claim as the world’s most dominant combat artist, and her opponent will have to be at her best to prevent an early submission.

Friday’s weigh-in is sure to include some dramatics, so let’s take a look at the bout before that takes place.

 

UFC 190: Rousey vs. Correia Odds

Odds courtesy of Odds Shark, last updated July 31.

For all of the boom in popularity that the MMA in general has seen with the flourishing of the UFC, it’s undeniably hard to believe a face of the sport has immersed so centrally into the sporting culture.

And for all of the hype generated in the past by the likes of Anderson Silva or Brock Lesner, or even in the present with Conor McGregor, there’s been no male fighter who has taken over the sport quite like Rousey. In terms of wrestling prowess, her total of 30 seconds fought in her last two fights—amid submission finishes of 16 seconds and 14 seconds—shows her formidability.

However, that hasn’t scared off Correia.

The Brazilian sees through the facade of Rousey‘s vaunted status as an untouchable fighter and believes wholeheartedly in her own chances. Not only does she think she can beat Rousey, but she believes it will bring justice to the sport, as she told Rolling Stone‘s James Montgomery:

She’s trying to create this illusion around herself and it’s making me want to go out there and do justice for everyone else. She’s never faced someone who is as strong as I am, physically and mentally. She’s never faced a tough Brazilian who has been through wars and a lot to get here to where I’m at.

The 32-year-old Brazilian has never lost in the Octagon, and she can attribute that to a tough-nosed mentality and an affinity for standing and striking. There are few women more powerful in the weight class, and those heavy hands will be among her biggest weapons.

That’s a potential area of concern for Rousey, who is best utilizing her massive strength by taking opponents to the ground. She’s rarely gotten into a punch-out brawl, with a notable exception coming against Meisha Tate in perhaps her most susceptible outing.

Correia‘s ability to land big blows with her fists will peak the interest of some, but it’s far from enough to hang with a motivated Rousey in the Octagon.

Both fighters are unbeaten, but not all undefeated streaks are made equal. Consider this—three of the opponents Correia has faced in the UFC are a combined 1-7, while Rousey quietly rides the carousel of the world’s best fighters.

There’s already a bout with Tate looming for the winner, but as Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter noted, that’s all but a foregone conclusion:

For what Correia lacks as an all-around fighter, she more than makes up for in being tough as nails. That will allow her to hang around in this fight for more than a minute or two, which is more than any of Rousey‘s last three opponents can say, who lasted a combined 96 seconds.

Correia will assume a small victory by being able to crawl back to her corner in one piece after Round 1, but she won’t last much longer as Rousey puts her out of her misery with a second-round armbar.

Prediction: Rousey wins via second-round submission.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 190: Bleacher Report Main Card Staff Predictions

The UFC’s exhausting schedule continues this weekend with UFC 190 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The card is far from stacked, but the opportunity to witness Ronda Rousey in action is always welcome. The UFC women’s bantamweight champion will t…

The UFC’s exhausting schedule continues this weekend with UFC 190 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The card is far from stacked, but the opportunity to witness Ronda Rousey in action is always welcome. The UFC women’s bantamweight champion will take on Bethe Correia in the challenger’s home country. It’s a contest that—depending on how cynical you are toward such narratives—is extremely personal for Rousey.

Before the women collide in the main event, we can look forward to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua taking on Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Stefan Struve vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Claudia Gadelha vs. Jessica Aguilar in the latter’s UFC debut, and much more besides.

As always, Bleacher Report MMA’s team of malfunctioning precogs is on hand to offer their thoughts on the weekend’s main card. Read on for the views of Scott Harris, Riley Kontek, Sean Smith, Craig Amos and yours truly, James MacDonald.

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