[protected-iframe id=”9c03166d4d5d32fa10fa93dccdb3efa4-60970621-20122658″ info=”https://up.anv.bz/latest/anvload.html?key=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” width=”650″ height=”400″ frameborder=”0″ scrolling=”no” webkitallowfullscreen=”” mozallowfullscreen=”” allowfullscreen=””]
If you missed UFC 193, Holly Holm kicked Ronda Rousey into the hospital and became the new UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion. To some, it was this generation’s Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas, where an underdog shocks the world by unseating the arrogant, unbeatable champion. To others, it was pro wrestling.
During Monday’s edition of Bodyslams and Beyond — this part covering the “beyond,” I guess — former WWE Superstar Taz spoke at length about how the Holm/Rousey fight was worked and not on the level, citing years of analysis and understanding of the wrestling business. He makes sure to clarify that he doesn’t think UFC is a work, but he can’t see what happened to Rousey with all the stuff surrounding it and take it at face value. It was, as they say, a real rocket-buster.
“Why are some people not seeing this? This has been done in the wrestling industry for years. A guy or girl is going to take a break or go away, or has an injury that they have to tend to, whatever the reasons are, and they’re a champion – you take the championship off of them. You do not want your champion sitting home or making a movie, Roadhouse 2 or whatever Rousey’s going to do, or whatever Rousey’s going to do, or just needs a personal break, which she’s earned. This girl’s earned it. But you don’t want that person sitting home for five, six, seven months with that championship. It’s bad for business! Take the belt off her!
And many other people on the card got punched in the face, and kicked in the chest, and stomped on the head. And the bulk of all those fights you’re watching are legit, finish and everything, no doubt. But the bigger bouts, just like in boxing, the finish is predetermined. Now, here’s the other little catch for you: not each of the fighters is in on the work! Unlike pro wrestling, it’s a shoot. Not each fighter is in on the work. I’m tellin’ ya.
If you look at the actual K.O. – now, she did get nailed, Rousey, with several shots before the finish of the fight. Nothing that was like ‘oh my god,’ but she got popped a few times. But if you look at the actual knockout, as Rousey, she went for kind of a lazy punch or something – not lazy, but she kind of missed – and as she spun to turn around her back was kind of turned to Holm. And as she slowly turned, a high round kick, I believe it was the left foot, or left leg of Holm, catches Rousey, drops Rousey, and then Holm grounds and pounds for three shots – boom, boom, boom. Ref gets in the middle, fight’s over, new champion Holly Holm. I’m telling you right now, that whole series, was the work. And I’m not sure who was in on it and who wasn’t, but I know this much: The ref probably wasn’t in on it. Maybe he was, I don’t know. Rousey was in on it – and again, this is all my opinion. Holm might not have been in on it.”
One more time:
If this was pro wrestling, Holm would’ve rolled up Rousey after that punch and held the tights to win the championship. Regardless, this fight and all the questions involved — Did Rousey have anything left to prove? Was it the EA curse? Was it bad trainers? Was it because she didn’t touch gloves, and God hates that? Did she throw the fight to go make movies and be at WrestleMania? — will be on our mind until the rematch.
What do you think? Let us know in our comments section below.
