PWP’s guest writer Jamahl Reynolds explains why even though Ronda Rousey was beaten, she is still the best in the business.
Now, history has been made and unfortunately it’s one of those instances when a hero (or heroine) of mine ends up on the losing end. UFC Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey, who has been undefeated in MMA since her first match in August 2010, has fallen to ultimately a stronger athlete in Holly Holm.
It was a heartbreaking moment, especially for me simply because I’m a Judoka who wanted to see practitioners of Kodokan Judo rise in the ranks in the world of mixed martial arts. Yes, there are a good number of Judokas in UFC who became champions, but here’s my issue with the majority of them: Judo isn’t their preferred style; at least, none that I can tell. I (ironically) sporadically watch UFC and I would also YouTube Judokas in MMA.
Unfortunately, to my disappointment, I wouldn’t find enough of Judo in those matches.
And before ANYONE of you start, YES! I am aware that Judo does throws, armbars, and chokeholds and there are Judokas in UFC who do armbars and chokeholds but unfortunately that isn’t enough for me. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu uses the same submission holds as Judo, and some of these MMA fighters who ARE Judokas and also practice BJJ, so the lines are blurred here. Judo’s bread and butter are its takedowns and of all of the current fighters I’ve seen (and I apologize in advance if I did miss others) Ronda Rousey is the ONLY one who does Judo throws best.
When I watch MMA I want to see style vs. style… but let’s face it, MMA is a martial art of its own. MMA incorporates VARIOUS martial art styles and some of the most unique ones are cast aside in favor the wrestling, and kickboxing styles. At the end of the day, it’s not the style that helps the fighter win his or her matches, but the fighter choosing the best tools to win with. And I am not saying it’s a bad thing by ANY means, it’s just I take these sort of things a tad too seriously (blame Tekken). However, you must admit, there’s a hint of truth to this…. anyways.
When Ronda Rousey came into MMA, she does not just do armbars, but Judo throws! After watching various matches featuring double-leg takedowns or leg sweeps it was REFRESHING to see something as awesome as a quick hip throw being executed by Rousey! Needless to say, I never stopped being a fan of hers. It’s wonderful seeing a Judoka rise in the ranks of UFC like her! Most impressive of all is that she kept winning and winning and winning! But alas, such a glorious era has been literally punched out by Holly Holm.
It was, again, heartbreaking!
And you know what? It was bound to happen. As much as I loved Rousey, there were opponents who were a threat to her undefeated streak. Take Liz Carmouche, who put Rousey in that chokehold for what felt like forever. If there was a point Rousey would’ve lost, it was right then and there and she would’ve been 6-1 instead of 7-0. Not to mention that fight was the longest fight Rousey ever had in UFC. Second longest goes to her arch-nemesis Miesha Tate who I’ll bet had a field day with Rousey losing. Oh well, Rousey losing to Holms is still better than Tate losing twice to Rousey…who you’d think would’ve developed a decent counter-attack…but I digress.
Now with Holly Holm, I was especially nervous! Sure, she’s not the first person with an undefeated streak Rousey has to face, but god damn, just do a Wikipedia search for Holm and you’ll see that her resume is NO JOKE. I think I ran across a video or two of her and found myself biting my nails. But then again, I was like that when Rousey faced Bethe Correia a few months back. Maybe it’s one of those thing Rousey will over come despite the hype?
Insert Dean Ambrose “Nope” meme here.
Holm came in with a gameplan: pure defensive boxing tactics. If Floyd Mayweather taught me anything other than how to make boxing look more fixed than pro-wrestling… is that boxing is truly a game of wits and strategy. Holm played the dodging game from Rousey and let Rousey make the horrid mistake of going in with guns blazing (and missing all shots). For each missed swing, Rousey received a punch, an elbow, and a kick in the thigh. It was pure dissection by Holly Holm, it was watching your pet bird being plucked by the Master Chief feather by feather. Not even Judo would save Ronda in that fight for Holm was ready for it and countered Rousey’s throws and submission holds. Rousey was stumbling in the fight and was literally spun into a god damn headkick by Holm. Holm had two things going for her that Rousey’s opponents did not have: an experience of over 30 fights in boxing, and a goddamn game plan!
Rousey had no counter attack and was ousted in two rounds. Alas, the best of Judo has fallen and only time will tell if Rousey will recover, redesign, reclaim and rebuild. And you know what? I’m content!
Rousey did her fans proud in her many years as UFC champion. She was the Anderson Silva of her division and critics and doubters be damned because they cannot do any better than her. She took women’s MMA and put it on the map, and she took the Judo Hip Throws and put them on Fox’s Replays. It was a glorious time of being a Judoka and by God I enjoyed every moment of it! I congratulate Holm for being Rousey’s first true test and I wish her nothing but good luck with her reign. However, I will remain in Rousey’s camp whether she’s 12-1 or 12-12. I’ll patiently wait for her to be back on top again and Judo throws every one of her opponents in the process!
Thanks for reading and stay “rowdy.”
I’ll love Ronda ’til the end.