UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey makes the next defence of her title on January 2, 2016 at UFC 195 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Rousey is set to face off against former boxing champion Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm in what will likely serve as the main event.
Rousey was widely expected to face rival Miesha “Cupcake” Tate for a third time at some point in the coming months, but that fight will evidently have to wait. Rousey recently destroyed Bethe “Pitbull” Correia at UFC 190. Holm defeated Marion “The Belizean Bruiser” Reneau at UFC Fight Night 71.
Rousey (12-0-0) has quickly risen to become the biggest star on the UFC roster today, and her string of first-round finishes has led some to crown her as the most dominant female athlete in sports. Inside the Octagon, Rousey has won all six of her UFC fights, and her past three bouts have lasted a combined time of just 64 seconds. Earlier this month, the Olympic bronze medal-winning judoka knocked out Correia with a vicious right hand in 34 seconds at UFC 190 in Brazil. Rousey now faces off against another undefeated fighter when she steps back into the cage in January.
Holm (9-0-0) was widely regarded as one of the very best female strikers in the world during her boxing career and she dominated most of her early opponents after making the transition to MMA in 2011. Holm signed with the UFC this past year and made her debut against TUF 18 semi-finalist Raquel “Rocky” Pennington at UFC 184 in February. She walked away with a close and lacklustre Split Decision win, but her most recent performance against Reneau in July was a better one. She will nevertheless enter the title fight with Rousey as a massive underdog in spite of her striking pedigree.
UFC 195 takes place on January 2, 2016 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
(Photo Credit: UFC)
Another easy win for Rousey.
She just needs one trip like the one she handed to Bethe and, then, Holm will be tapping.
I think Holm is a whole different ball game for Rousey. Ronda’s never faced anyone with footwork as good as Holm’s – and distance fighting, long range kicks and strikes – is probably the only way to handle Rousey’s aggressive game. Also Holm is the only fighter who equals Rousey in experience – Holly has been fighting most of her life, just like Rousey. And Holm is a big bantamweight, taller than Rousey and with longer reach, and equal if not greater core strength.
I’m not saying Holm will win, only that Holm has a better chance of winning against Rousey than anyone, with the possible exception of Cyborg.
Dana is doing this for one reason. He knows Holm would lose to a top 5 fighter like Tate or even Nunes, which takes away all her value as a Ronda opponent. The same reason he would have Gina immediately face Ronda. So he is cashing in on Holm while she has some name value as an elite boxer. She will never survive long enough to develop in MMA and she is almost 35. Might as well do it now.
Holm is only good at one thing in MMA. She can point fight against other strikers and keep her distance. But she hasn’t faced a legit grappler. She got rolled by She doesn’t even have the KO power to scare Ronda. At least someone like the de Randimie or Nakamoto would. Does anyone see Holly Holm defending against an armbar?
No one is touching Ronda anymore. Cyborg would get killed. The only one who can hang with Ronda is Tate, and that only is because she is in Ronda’s head. The girl to beat Ronda isn’t in MMA right now.