At the end of the rainbow, there was a fight.
UFC 193—and, yeah, that Ronda Rousey woman—occupied the center of the MMA world Saturday in Melbourne, Australia. Rousey, the UFC women’s bantamweight champion and black hole of endless hype, wa…
At the end of the rainbow, there was a fight.
UFC 193—and, yeah, that Ronda Rousey woman—occupied the center of the MMA world Saturday in Melbourne, Australia. Rousey, the UFC women’s bantamweight champion and black hole of endless hype, was out to defend her belt against former boxing champion Holly Holm.
Coming in, the 34-year-old Holm was only nine fights into her pro MMA career, though she did rack up a tidy 9-0 record during that run. Nevertheless, the relative greenness is probably a big reason why she was a major, major underdog coming into this fight.
The other reason was, you know, Rousey. Easily the best female MMA fighter ever.
No chance, right? Open and shut, correct? Why bother? Another photo op in the bag?
Well, this is why they fight the fights. Did I read that somewhere once?
There were also 12 other bouts on this card, including a co-main event featuring Joanna Jedrzejczyk, the electrifying women’s strawweight champ.
As always, the final stat lines only reveal so much. Read on—and you want to read on—for the real winners and losers from UFC 193.
For the literal-minded among us, full card results appear on the final slide.
Valerie Letourneau was supposed to be easy prey for Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 193. For a brief time, it seemed like she wouldn’t be.
The first round saw quite a bit of suspense for the champ. Jedrzejczyk was, perhaps, a bit too confident in her kickin…
Valerie Letourneau was supposed to be easy prey for Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 193. For a brief time, it seemed like she wouldn’t be.
The first round saw quite a bit of suspense for the champ. Jedrzejczyk was, perhaps, a bit too confident in her kicking game, which resulted in a leg kick getting caught en route to a takedown. Letourneau ate up a substantial portion of the round there, but was immediately met with a brutal front kick to the face. Letourneau would survive and would ride out the round with her grappling.
In the second, however, the tide started to turn. Letourneau‘s takedown attempts didn’t pay off, and Jedrzejczyk‘s timing became sharper and sharper. The leg kicks started adding up, and Letourneau didn’t quite seem to have an answer.
29-28 for the champ, not the showcase fight for the champ so far, but 2 more rounds and it looks like Letourneau might be slowing down
That swing in momentum didn’t stop at the second bell, though. As the clock ticked on, the single shots Jedrzejczyk started finding in the second round turned into combinations in the third. Those combinations in the third turned into power shots in the fourth. She was in complete control and everyone, including Letourneau, knew it.
By the fifth round, the challenger was a swollen mess with a serious limp. Her hands just couldn’t keep up and her footwork was just too sluggish to get out of the way. Letourneau would survive to the end, but that was, frankly, a moral victory and little else.
The scorecards would be read and Jedrzejczyk would be declared the winner by unanimous decision to the tune of 49-48, 49-48 and 50-45. It was a strong, but surprisingly clean, performance by Jedrzejczyk.
Here are some notes and thoughts about the fight:
The importance that Letourneau‘s size played here cannot be understated. Jedrzejczyk was substantially larger than her previous foes, Carla Esparza and Jessica Penne, and it showed with how the fight progressed. Letourneau was actually larger than Jedrzejczyk, and that actually was incredibly important when it came to keeping her at bay.
That said, Jedrzejczyk was in complete control after the first half of the first round. While the entirety of the fight was talked up as competitive by the commentary desk, it really wasn’t. Jedrzejczyk was no less dominant than in her previous fights; it just didn’t end up being a bloodbath.
Letourneau likely had a lot of cardio sucked out of her at the weigh-ins. She looked half-dead as she stepped onto the scale and was anything but high-energy in the fight.
Jedrzejczyk‘s archrival to this point, Claudia Gadelha, was in attendance. It will be interesting to see how the UFC handles her going forward, and if they set her up with a title fight after this.
Saturday’s UFC 193 bout between Robert Whittaker and Uriah Hall was a battle of similar fighters with similar backstories.
Hall has been one of the most compelling figures in MMA since thrashing Adam Cella on The Ultimate Fighter. Unfortunate…
Saturday’s UFC 193 bout between Robert Whittaker and Uriah Hall was a battle of similar fighters with similar backstories.
Hall has been one of the most compelling figures in MMA since thrashing Adam Cella on The Ultimate Fighter. Unfortunately, each of his exciting, emphatic knockout wins has been counterbalanced with boring, lethargic decision losses. A win over GegardMousasi at UFC: Japan, however, threw him from the middle of the pack at 185 pounds straight into the top 10.
Whittaker, similarly, was a standout fighter during his run on TUF: The Smashes, knocking out the field and taking the plaque by defeating Brad Scott. After a 2-2 run at 170 pounds, he jumped up to the middleweight division and hasn’t looked back.
The stakes were remarkably high for this fight, with both men riding the strongest wave of momentum in their careers. Unfortunately, while both are legitimate top-10 talents, only one of them would be able to remain in the discussion.
When they came together in the cage, they put on a suspenseful show for the fans in Australia. Each exchange had heat to it, with Hall’s lightning-quick kicks and Whittaker’s heavy right hands flying all over the place. Somehow, some way, in this fight between two devastating strikers, a knockout would not come to pass.
The fight was incredibly close, but the difference would prove to be two grappling exchanges, one in each of the first two rounds. Both broke in favor of Whittaker, and that led to the hometown fighter taking a unanimous decision to the tune of 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.
The glimpses Uriah Hall shows of high-volume ferocity, still so frustrating. Fair play to Robert Whittaker though. That was a big, big win.
The result is a crushing disappointment for Hall, who took this fight to gain some momentum after his win over Mousasi, and a major boon for Whittaker. These sorts of high-risk, high-reward moves are part of the MMA game, but it’s sad when you see them blow up in a fighter’s face.
Here are some notes and thoughts about this fight:
What a difficult loss for Hall. This wasn’t a fight in the same niche as Hall’s fights against John Howard and Rafael Natal. Hall brought it, but things just didn’t break his way.
Obviously, this further muddles the bottom half of the middleweight top 10. Mousasi, Hall and Whittaker are all mixed in with Michael Bisping, Thales Leites, Derek Brunson and Tim Kennedy. And that’s not even counting fighters outside the UFC! Tough times are ahead for the Bleacher Report MMA rankings panel.
Whittaker is such a compelling fighter, and this win is so important for him. He could be a legitimate star if he keeps up this pace.
UFC heavyweights Stefan Struve and Jared Rosholt entered UFC 193 on Saturday night with their eyes on moving up the rankings. Struve came in as the No. 14-ranked contender, while Rosholt had won back-to-back fights inside the Octagon.
Most eyes we…
UFC heavyweights Stefan Struve and Jared Rosholt entered UFC 193 on Saturday night with their eyes on moving up the rankings. Struve came in as the No. 14-ranked contender, while Rosholt had won back-to-back fights inside the Octagon.
Most eyes were on Struve. “The “Skyscraper” has long been an interesting fighter in the division. The 7-footer has competed against some of the best in the division, and he is only 27 years old—much younger than the average age of the top 10 heavyweights.
As the fight opened up, the height and reach advantage for Struve was almost comical.
The opening round started tentatively, but Rosholt soon found an opportunity to complete a takedown. Once he had Struve on his back, it was difficult for the Dutchman to get up with the former NCAA star on top. Rosholt easily took the first frame based on control.
At almost the same point in Round 2, about halfway through the round, Rosholt got another takedown. Struve did manage to get back to his feet, but Rosholt was still attached and took him right back to the mat. Rosholt did not do much damage, but he won on control. Struve made the round somewhat close by landing an upkick and some elbows while on his back, but it was likely not enough to take the round. The Australian crowd was not pleased with the action, and they let the fighters know at the end of the period.
Struve‘s low output continued at the beginning of the third round. He touched up Rosholt with a couple of crisp jabs but nothing substantial. Later in the round Struve connected on some more single shots, but then Rosholt completed another takedown with one minute left. This time, Struve managed to get up quickly, but he couldn’t do anything with the remaining time to finish the fight.
This was a disappointing fight that did nothing to elevate either man. It was not a great way to establish a new face at heavyweight.
Rosholt took the fight 29-28 on all three scorecards.
What’s Next for Rosholt and Struve?
The hope for this fight was that the winner would be in a position to make a little noise in the top 10 of the division, but that clearly didn’t happen. Regardless, Rosholt puts together three straight wins and needs another ranked fight.
Struve has to re-evaluate everything following this fight. He did next to nothing to win this fight. His takedown defense wasn’t very good, his striking was not effective, and he looked lethargic. If he wants to become a true contender, he has to be able to beat one-dimensional fighters such as Rosholt.
There is not an enticing option for Rosholt‘s next fight. At this juncture, it may be a top-tier fighter who loses his next fight in the coming months. Or perhaps he could face Ben Rothwell, who is still in need of a fight, but that is unappealing to everyone.
Who can be next for Struve? Shawn Jordan? Timothy Johnson? Who knows. The heavyweight division is so shallow, and Struve cannot fight anyone of note after this performance. Maybe the UFC will have him fight a debuting heavyweight in 2016. Regardless his options are limited. After this showing, few will be excited for whatever the UFC comes up with for the towering heavyweight.
As the age-old saying goes, “real recognize real.”Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt is a scary dude on the gridiron, so it makes sense that he would be supporting UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, arguably the most intimidating athlete in sp…
As the age-old saying goes, “real recognize real.”
Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt is a scary dude on the gridiron, so it makes sense that he would be supporting UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, arguably the most intimidating athlete in sports.
With Rousey set to defend her title against Holly Holm at UFC 193 Saturday night in Melbourne, Australia, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year made it clear whom he’s rooting for, sending out a picture of himself on Instagram donning a shirt depicting the champ.
When Ronda Rousey headlines a card, it isn’t just an event. It’s a spectacle.
That’s what’s set to go down at UFC 193 when the Rowdy One will defend her women’s bantamweight title against Holly Holm at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Australia. …
When Ronda Rousey headlines a card, it isn’t just an event. It’s a spectacle.
That’s what’s set to go down at UFC 193 when the Rowdy One will defend her women’s bantamweight title against Holly Holm at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Australia.
As the biggest star in the organization, every time Rousey fights it’s sure to bring eyeballs to the TV screens. Regardless of who Dana White and Co. trot out to fight her, people have tuned in every time she looks to tear that person’s arm off or otherwise humiliate them for all to see.
It’s less a fight and more a pure display of dominance.
Rousey isn’t the only women’s champion making an appearance, though. Rising star Joanna Jedrzejczyk will look to defend her title against Valerie Letourneau in women’s strawweight action. It’s a bout that should give Joanna Champion a platform to show that she too can be a dominant champion.
Here’s a look at the complete main card along with odds and predictions for each bout. Odds are courtesy of Odds Shark.
Knockout of the Night Watch: Mark Hunt vs. Antonio Silva
There’s a simple equation that goes into this fight. Mark Hunt and Antonio Silva both have extensive histories of knocking people out. Of Silva’s last 11 fights, 10 have ended in one person knocking out the other. A knockout has occurred in six of Hunt’s last seven fights.
The only fight that didn’t end in a knockout?
Their fight against each other.
Yes, these two beat the stuffing out of each other in their first fight to a majority draw in one of the most fun fights in UFC history. Even if it was eventually somewhat tainted by Silva’s positive drug test.
Since that classic fight, both of these guys have had their lights turned out twice.
With Hunt (41) and Silva (36) both getting pretty long in the tooth, the likelihood they survive a full three rounds of exchanging heavy leather isn’t very good. Someone’s going down.
The Super Samoan’s losses have come to better competition recently. That’s enough to give him a slight edge in the “who will land the first knockout strike” sweepstakes.
Breakout Watch: Joanna Champion
It’s an odd thing to say that a champion will probably fighter who gains the most notoriety on a card. After all, he or she is already a champion. But that’s the scenario for Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
The 115-pound champion’s last title defense was buried as a Fight Pass main event. Now, she gets to play second fiddle to the biggest draw in the sport in Ronda Rousey.
There’s a strong chance that she takes advantage, too. As noted in the odds above, she’s actually a bigger favorite than Rousey to successfully defend her title. That’s thanks to a striking-heavy style that should not only lead to a win, but the kind that will earn her some fans.
Even Rousey herself admires the champion’s style.
“I love that Joanna is always going for finishes,” Rousey said, per Elias Cepeda of Fox Sports. “She’s not a point-fighter. She’s all about being completely dominant at all time. And, she really ties everything together so well that it’s not like you’re watching a brawl. You’re watching really high-level problem solving.”
As Reed Kuhn of Fightnomics noted, she’s far and away the most accurate long-range striker on the card:
Letourneau is a tough competitor, but that may actually be her downfall. Her game is largely predicated on bringing pressure and walking through strikes from her opponent. Against a precise and dangerous striker like Jedrzejczyk, that’s a recipe for disaster.
Greatness Watch: Ronda Rousey
The reason for tuning in to watch Rousey is simple. It’s fun to watch greatness.
Anyone who has followed her career in the Octagon knows the numbers. She’s undefeated, most of her wins have come in under a minute and only one has made it out of the first round. If there’s a way to quantify greatness, she passes every test.
When there’s a champion as dominant as Rousey, the question is whether there’s a style out there that could stop him or her. In this case, how Rousey will handle a high-level striker with good movement.
There’s a narrative to be crafted that Holm could make things interesting against Rousey. Her background as a professional boxer has been highlighted throughout the buildup to this fight, but it is an important factor in the matchup.
As a boxer, Holm has plenty of experience with footwork and how to escape pressure. That’s the key for her in at least extending this bout. If she’s able to circle away from the pressure and back toward the middle of the cage, she could at least frustrate Rousey by making her chase her for a period of time.
Unfortunately for Holm, that’s only half the puzzle. Movement will get her only so far, but if anyone is ever going to beat Rousey, they will also need some power.
Even though Holm has a boxing background, she isn’t all that powerful. She only scored nine knockouts in 38 professional bouts. She has yet to knock out anyone in the UFC.
Without a real threat of rocking Rousey, the champion will eventually close the distance and take her to the mat. Once it gets there, it won’t be pretty.
Expect yet another highlight for Rousey’s already-impressive reel.
Valerie