Can someone explain the obsession w/Ronda Rousey

I trust nothing that comes out of White's mouth, which puts me in the rare position of siding with Tito Ortiz. Suddenly I feel dirty.

Even if the fight is at 135, I think Cyborg has a chance, at least to score a quick bum-rush knockout like the one Rousey scored over Correia. But if the cut is as drastic as it sounds, any fight that goes beyond a few minutes puts Rousey even more in the driver's seat.

 

Think Norwood Teague has ever drunk texted Ronda Rousey?

 

Unless I'm mistaken, I think UFC's position has been that Cyborg has to make a fight at 135 or 140, then, they'll talk about Rousey. At least according to the Wrestling Observer, which also does some MMA coverage, in the past Cyborg / Cyborg's camp didn't make a serious effort to get down to those weights, because they thought UFC would cave. However, I'm guessing Rousey might have the Tyson factor going for her now, where people are fine with 30 second fights, so, less incentive for them to bend on the weight for a Cyborg fight.

 

There are some who say Rousey and the UFC are forcing the issue at 135 to protect her from what could be a potential loss, and a brutal one at that. When Cyborg wins, she wins in devastating fashion. Right now, Rousey is an ATM and, the theory goes, the UFC doesn't want to do anything to put that ATM at risk. As long as people are still paying to watch her beat up MMA enthusiasts, why shouldn't they wring every last cent out of her before putting her against a true test?

 

I find that entirely plausible. Cyborg is a beast, and in an even up walking around weight fight probably beats Rousey's ass. She's been in Brazil long enough that she can deal with the judo/jujitso side.

At 135 I think Rousey has an adge, but by no means a big one. Cyborg is an entirely different kind of fighter from what Rousey has been feasting on.

 

I wouldn't rule out the idea of protecting Rousey. I think that's at least partially true.
Except for the whole true test thing ... Honestly, aside from Cyborg (who again has a walking around weight about 40 pounds heavier than her fighting weight) there aren't ANY true tests for Rousey.

Rousey has been pretty adamant about her weight class. In her bio she talked about the struggles to make weight for her judo matches. And she was done doing it.

 

I totally agree, and perhaps didn't make that clear in my post. At the moment, Cyborg is the only TRUE test for Rousey out there. I think a Holly Holm fight would be interesting at least but would probably end with Holm tapping out. Amanda Nunes looked good beating Sara McMann on Saturday, but I still don't think she's a match for Rousey.

Most of the women Rousey has been fighting have only been doing this for a few years. Her last opponent had only been fighting for four years and got into MMA as a way to stay in shape. Rousey has been a high-level competitive athlete almost her whole life through judo. The talent gap between her and everyone else is just too big. Cyborg at least closes that gap a little.

 

I agree with this, but I do also think that people are probably overrating Cyborg's ability. She's mostly beating the inferior competition in her own weight class, and she doesn't have the Olympic background that Rousey has. National team handball player, according to Wiki. So, I'm assuming Rousey would still pick her apart from a technical standpoint, and it's more that Cyborg probably has that "one good hit" power that could cause a knockout.

 

ATM?
Rousey ATM. Hmm.

 

I think you'd be the one receiving the deposit.

 

Yeah, that is pretty much how far we have to stretch now to make something competitive with Rousey. "If she lands that one perfect punch, she could win. ... Otherwise Rousey dominates." Cyborg is probably a little overrated, but at least she is doing the same thing Rousey is doing, dispatching of inferior competition quickly. Her last two fights lasted a combined 1:31. Yes, Ronda has finished her last three opponents in less time than that, but it is still impressive.