You can add UFC commentator and podcaster extrordinaire Joe Rogan to the growing chorus of people questioning the worthiness of Ronda Rousey’s latest match-up. Originally slated to be Miesha Tate (again… Tate and Rousey have fought twice already), the UFC surprised everyone earlier this week when former boxing champ Holly Holm was named as Ronda’s next opponent on January 2.
Here’s what Rogan had to say about that (transcribed by MMA Fighting):
“I don’t agree with that fight,” Rogan said Sunday on his podcast. “That Holly Holm fight. I don’t think that’s smart. I would have gone with Amanda Nunes before Holly Holm. Amanda Nunes looked like a badass when she knocked out Sara McMann. That’s a more dangerous fighter. A more marketable fighter. [Holm] is only the best boxer in the world if Ann Wolf decides not to box.”
[…]
“The Holly Holm fight is not as intriguing to me as Amanda Nunes would be. [Holm’s] big issue is the grappling. Who knows, though? You never know. Maybe Holly, because her standup is so much more refined, she’s been doing it for so much longer, maybe she can keep Ronda away from her. I’m serious. I just think, honestly, the real problem is that there’s a lack of talent.”
[…]
“The real problem with Ronda is that Ronda is like a Mike Tyson. She’s the elite of the elite. Those girls? No. They’re good. She’s great.”
At this point, anyone who isn’t named Cyborg is going to have a lot of people completely dismissing them in a fight against Rousey. This is where dominance like the Olympic bronze medalist has shown can work against her: Each booking will be met with people rolling their eyes and muttering, “Like she has a chance!”
The UFC is obviously hip to this potential problem — they didn’t switch Ronda’s opponent last second for nothing. The reality of trying to justify a third match with Tate to the media must have hit them in the face like an Anderson Silva front kick. So, they decided to go with Holm instead, who’s definitely got enough credentials on paper to appear legit to the world.
Meanwhile, Joe Rogan is comparing Holm’s actual UFC performances to Amanda Nunes’ and rightfully pointing out that Nunes is better. Nunes is 4-1 in the UFC with all four wins coming via finish in the first round. Her ground game is way beyond anything we’ve seen from Holm, and what she lacks in boxing pedigree, she makes up for in violent execution. She’s dropped every opponent she’s fought thus far, while Holly Holm has seemed content to pull out decision wins.
Whatever the reason, Rousey is fighting Holm and that’s all there is to it. At least we can rest easy knowing there’s another decent contender waiting in the wings if Holly gets injured. Or if Cris Cyborg can’t sort out her weight issues in time to get dibs on Rousey’s next title defense. Just don’t be surprised when the same naysaying currently directed at Holm gets sent Nunes’ way. That’s just how things roll when you’re fighting the Mike Tyson of women’s MMA.
(via MMA Fighting)
