Ronda Rousey
At the time of this writing, the main attraction of this weekend’s pair of MMA events is a 14-1 favorite over her opponent.
That’s blatant mismatch territory. And yet, you don’t see a whole lot of crowing over the circumstances that led to pairing UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and Bethe Correia in UFC 190’s headliner. We know how we got here – “Rowdy” ran through everyone else, and Bethe loudly volunteered.
This week, several in the MMA know have approached Saturday with a mixture of dread over what could happen to Correia, sympathy for the physical consequences she’ll face after feeling Rousey’s wrath, and, of course, curiosity over the speed of the impending car crash.
A lot’s been written about the effect of Rousey’s dominance, and whether it will draw more fans to the sport, a la Mike Tyson in his heyday, or, with the door charge and inevitable result, drive them toward something a little more competitive. We’re about to find out, because fights like the one against Correia can’t credibility be sold on their competitive merits. And so, we need other reasons to show up.
If not for the UFC champ’s exploding popularity in Brazil and the press corps following every pay-per-view, UFC 190 could be the event editors tell their reporters to skip, like it was when Tyson faced Buster Douglas. We all know what happened then. This fight, on the other hand, seems different. It appears that Rousey is an athlete at or near her competitive peak, though that opinion comes from the admittedly unreliable world of promotional footage and interviews and other eye tests. The champ is looking to teach her opponent a lesson for evoking her father’s suicide. And Correia is far, far, too slow and not nearly sophisticated enough to stop what’s coming at her, save for a well-placed punch that manages to clip the champ’s chin.
Do you want to watch that? The good news is, you’ll probably only have to do it once, and probably not for long. But that leaves a lot of other time for tonight’s supporting cast at UFC 190, which takes place at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro and airs live on pay-per-view, FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass, and WSOF 22, which takes place at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas and airs live on NBCSN and MMAjunkie.
1. Stating the obvious
UFC 190: With her victory all but assured, the only variable of any interest in women’s bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey’s (11-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) sixth attempted title defense against Bethe Correia (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) is how long it will take her to dismantle her opponent. Will she string it out and punish Correia for two or three rounds? Will she hit a quick armbar? Or will Correia make things interesting and survive the initial onslaught? Will the Brazilian shock the world? Rousey’s mom, AnnMaria De Mars, gave her daughter some good advice: Don’t give Correia any chance whatsoever to pull off the impossible. We’ll see if it’s followed.
2. A king size main card
UFC 190: Thank our friends at the U.S. State Department for turning UFC 190’s main card into a refuge for the finale of “The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 4.” Saturday’s pay-per-view fights number seven with finals in the bantamweight and featherweight “TUF” categories – it’s going to be a late night. But hey, there’s more product and more chances for beautiful violence.
3. 10 years coming
UFC 190: Until ex-champ Mauricio Rua (22-10 MMA, 6-8 UFC) met Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (21-6 MMA, 4-3 UFC), he really hadn’t met much opposition in the now-defunct PRIDE. But “Lil Nog” gave him his stiffest test to date, producing a memorable scrap that paved the way for his critical win in the middleweight grand prix. It seemed like neither were anxious to go another round when they migrated to the UFC. But in the wake of Anderson Silva’s drug testing woes, Nogueira got a coaching spot opposite “Shogun” on “TUF Brazil 4,” and suddenly, hardcore fans got a tasty rematch. They’re a lot older and slower than they once were, so it’s hard to see the fight living up to its earlier iteration. But if it’s close, good enough.
4. Wuthering heights
Stefan Struve
UFC 190: Heavyweight Stefan Struve’s (25-7 MMA, 9-4 UFC) career was a roller coaster without the heart condition that endangered it. Wins were followed by nasty knockout losses, and he never seemed able to build any sustainable momentum. The Dutch skyscraper said his past failures in the cage are explained by the lack of oxygen coursing through his body, and for now, we have to take him at his word. A fight against legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (34-9-1 MMA, 5-5 UFC) follows two straight knockout losses, and it’s chance to prove he’s a different man now that his health problems are, for now, in the rear-view mirror.
5. Another heavyweight smasher
UFC 190: Big-man Antonio Silva (18-7 MMA, 2-4 UFC) is a complicated talent. At times, he’s looked positively frightening, and others, a lug who falls easily to those who stand up to him. After two straight knockout losses, he’s at a crossroads. He is 35 and in a division where a title shot is never too far away, and his onetime foil, Cain Velasquez, is no longer champion. He once went the distance with the current champ, Fabricio Werdum, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he’s got another run in him. He just needs to get it together, and if he can’t against the hard-slugging Soa Palelei (22-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC), he may never.
6. Strawweight title eliminator
UFC 190: Women’s strawweight Claudia Gadelha (12-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) went the distance with current champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk and lost via split call, making a rematch – in an already thin division – not a terribly bad idea. Pairing her with the No. 1-ranked Jessica Aguilar (19-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is the UFC’s way of validating a new contender or rebooting another. They can sell Aguilar as the new kid on the block, or Gadelha as the gal with a score to settle.
7. Make it eight
Neil Magny
UFC 190: In a different division, or a different time, UFC welterweight Neil Magny (15-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) would have already fought for a title. But since he fights now in one of the most crowded classes, seven wins just isn’t good enough. Finally, the UFC is giving him the opponents that could earn him a title shot, in this case onetime middleweight title challenger Demian Maia (20-6 MMA, 14-6 UFC), whose threat on the ground and adequate standup provides a good test of his ability to handle top competition. Pass this, and he should get someone in the top-10.
8. Return of “Feijao”
UFC 190: Light heavyweight Rafael Cavalcante (12-5 MMA, 1-2 UFC) faded into the background after a decision loss to Ryan Bader in June 2014. Back in the saddle after an injury layoff, he returns to fight wrestler Patrick Cummins (7-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC), who will most certainly blanket him if he can’t find his sprawl. The close training partner of Anderson Silva is a dynamo when he finds his rhythm; getting there is going to be the tough one in this matchup.
9. The limb collector
WSOF 22: Welterweight champ Rousimar Palhares (17-6) can’t just march his way to a takedown and quick heelhook against onetime UFC title challenger Jake Shields (31-7-1). Or can he? The speed with which he took out Jon Fitch was an eye-opener, and if Shields and his American jiu-jitsu isn’t on point, we’re bound for another grisly display of frantic tapping as the Brazilian secures a leg.
10. Kingpin vs. upstart
WSOF 22: Bantamweight champ Marlon Moraes (14-4-1) continues to dominate the competition in the No. 3 promotion, but the undefeated Sheymon Moraes (7-0) looks to make his name against the champ, who should get a pass to the UFC if he continues to perform at a level above the rest of WSOF’s competition.
For more onUFC 190 and WSOF 22, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.
Filed under: News, UFC, WSOF