UFC 190 Recap
It’s clear that after UFC 190 that Ronda Rousey has no equal in her division. It was pretty damn obvious beforehand actually and it’s going to be a struggle to find worthy opponents for the Rowdy One going forward. You can check out the highlights and interview video below.
Overall UFC 190 was a good card. I could have done without staying up until nearly 2 a.m., but I was fully awake once Rousey’s death stare march to the Octagon commenced. I know there is a time difference to consider when the UFC travels abroad, but man would a 9 p.m. start be so much better for old folks like myself!
Here is what went down in Rio de Janeiro last night.
Claudia Gadelha def. Jessica Aguilar via unanimous decision. The fight was very one sided in favor of the UFC newbie Gadelha, so much so that Joe Rogan jokingly said the only way Aguilar had a shot was “if the fix was in.” Rogan quickly added “kidding” so there was no blow back from Mr. White. We know how he feels about the mention of rigged fights from the UFC’s lawsuit against Wanderlei Silva.
Antonio Silva def. Soa Palelei via second-round TKO. This was set up to be a brawl between two heavy hitters. It ended as most predicted, with a resounding knockout. Palelei was game and the first round was a close one, but had the fight taken out of him after a vicious knee to the body from Bigfoot. It was the beginning of the end as Silva tagged his man a couple more times up against the cage before the ref stepped in.
Stefan Struve def. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira via unanimous decision. This was an awkward fight to say the least. Struve is a very respectful fighter who has been through a lot in recent years with some heart issues. I hate to dog the young man after a nice win over a legend, but I see no possible way for him to advance his career with his style. He has the biggest reach advantage in the UFC and fails to use it. He is content to stand right in front of his opponent and let him determine the flow of the fight. If he would just stick and move, he could easily rack up points and has the power to finish guys. Maybe he just doesn’t have the speed to do that. He won against Big Nog, but honestly this legend is past his prime and certainly not in the elite class of the heavyweights.
Reginaldo Vieira def. Dileno Lopes via unanimous decision. This was a TUF Brazil Final and a very good fight. The two men traded multiple guillotine chokes early in the fight, and both fighters were able to escape the death grip. Joe Rogan mentioned that these two guys were not the most technically sound MMA artists, but he was right about their desire to win. The end of the fight was a pure brawl that left the mat a bloody mess. Vieira got the win after surviving another guillotine in round three.
Gianco Franca def. Fernando Bruno via submission (rear-naked choke). This was another TUF Brazil Final. I would have traded this fight for another 30 minutes of sleep. It wasn’t a bad fight, but certainly we didn’t need two TUF Brazil battles.
Mauricio Rua def. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira via unanimous decision. This was a rematch ten years in the making and one not of much interest to me. By this point I was nodding off since it was about 3 hours past this old guy’s bed time. Rua and Nogueira are due a lot of respect for their MMA careers. I just know where they are currently and that is nowhere near a threat to the belt. Rua got the win and I thanked God Rousey was up next.
Ronda Rousey def. Bethe Correia via first-round KO. Correia didn’t make a mistake by dragging Rousey’s family into the trash talking. Sure it was classless, mean, and stupid, but she didn’t lose because she pissed Ronda Rousey off. She lost because Rousey is on another level. Had Correia played nice during the pre-fight hype, she still would have lost in a quick and embarrassing fashion. No one nicknamed ‘Pitbull’ should lose in 34 seconds via KO! Perhaps Correia should pick another breed of dog or even a rabbit, maybe those fainting Myotonic Goats that fall over in the blink of an eye.
The fight started out fast. For those that believed Rousey’s talk about dragging the fight on so she could punish Correia, fans should know how dumb that would have been. Not even Ronda Rousey can afford to take the chance of letting a pro MMA fighter hang around. The longer a fight lasts, the more opportunities for a lucky punch, an incidental cut or eye poke, etc. The goal is to win the fight as fast as possible. Rousey is no fool and she ended the match as efficiently as she could as she left her opponent in a helpless heap alongside the cage after a nice ear shot then a tagging blow to the temple. It’s nice to see Rousey win via KO more now, but I am starting to miss the armbar. She opens herself up to being knocked out when she stands and trades shots also. A well placed punch to her own temple last night and Bethe Correia would be wearing the belt this morning.
Rousey had a nice tribute to Rowdy Roddy Piper after the win. The original Rowdy One passed away last week. Piper was one of the greatest wrestlers and showman in sports entertainment history. Rousey has that same flair, though much more controlled.
Up next for Rousey will be part three versus Miesha Tate. I truly believe Tate is the best fight available at this time. I don’t think it’s fair for Rousey to have to beat the same rival repeatedly, but there aren’t a lot of options left. If the odds are right, I will take Tate in that fight just on the off chance she catches Rousey on a less than perfect night. I don’t want Rousey to lose any fight, but I’d like to cash in case that ever happens.
Ronda Rousey UFC 190 Highlights & Post Fight Interview