UFC Nixes Miesha Tate so Ronda Rousey can face Holly Holm with No Punching Power, No Grappling, No Ground Game but has Glass Jaw
EGG ON MY FACE UPDATE: I was 100% wrong about my analysis of the Holly Holm vs. Ronda Rousey fight. Here’s what I wrote after Holly’s very impressive victory: Holly Holm Is the Real Deal
Also don’t miss Holly Holm vs. Miesha Tate UFC 196.
OK, back to my original article where I was so mistaken about Holly Holm.
UFC fighter and former Strikeforce Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate convincingly defeated Liz Carmouche, Rin Nakai, Sara McMann and Jessica Eye to earn a title fight against UFC Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey.
UFC President Dana White confirmed that Miesha Tate would be next to fight Ronda Rousey at UFC 195:
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So Miesha, who was already training for a third fight with Ronda, was understandably shocked and disappointed to learn that Dana White and the UFC rejected her in favor of UFC newcomer Holly Holm.
Ronda Rousey has already begun promoting the fight by spewing this puffery on “Good Morning America”:
“January 2nd I’ll be fighting Holly Holm, who is actually the most decorated striker we have in all of Mixed Martial Arts,” Rousey, 28, said. “She is definitely my biggest challenge to date so I’m super excited about it.”
The truth is Holly Holm has just two UFC fights, none were impressive. Her first UFC fight was less than six months ago, yet she’s given a title shot?! It’s not only very unfair to Miesha Tate, it’s an absurd match up for UFC fans.
What do think about Rousey vs Holm? Leave your comment below.
Holly Holm has zero grappling skills and zero ground game. Ronda Rousey will destroy Holly Holm. Holly has no answers for Ronda’s superior grappling, judo and submissions.
Holly is a good striker but so is Ronda Rousey. Holm has very little punching power. Out of 38 boxing matches Holly scored only 9 KOs. She won the vast majority of her fights by decision. She was knocked out cold twice. Holly cannot take a punch from a powerful striker.
The vast majority of her boxing wins were the result of good footwork to run from her opponents while building up pitter patter punch points. She had a loyal fan base in her home town Albuquerque but outside of homers…boxing fans considered Holly Holm a very boring fighter, if they even heard of her at all.
Chael Sonnen: Holly Holm not telling the truth about her ridiculous, invalid boxing championships
Rousey knows Holm cannot hurt her with punches so I expect Ronda will strike with her then take her down at will. Ronda Rousey does hit hard and knows Holly cannot take a punch. I look for Ronda to get inside and actually out strike Holly. This is a horrible match up for Holly Holm. Ronda Rousey will beat her on her feet then destroy her on the ground.
I have no idea what the UFC was thinking to make this lopsided affair. A Miesha Tate vs. Ronda Rousey III would be a great match up. It’s what the fans deserve to see and the fight Miesha Tate most definitely earned.
Instead we’re offered a Ronda Rousey fight against an inexperienced, vastly over matched opponent who has fought in the UFC for less than six months. Her MMA record is 9-0 but she was spoon fed opponents with little experience but lots of losses. She has never fought a top 10 MMA fighter, not even during her 6 month UFC career (with 2 unimpressive wins). Holly Holm has footwork and pillowcase punches. She has no grappling skills and no ground game.
Watch Anne Sophie Mathis, a great boxer with punching power destroy Holly Holm who has no power in her punches. It’s difficult to view but I guarantee Ronda Rousey watched it and smiled. For the record and to her credit Holly avenged this devastating knockout loss to Mathis in a rematch. How did she do it? She used her superior footwork to run from Mathis for 10 rounds while building up pitter patter punch points. Also, for this rematch, the ring was 20 x 20 instead of the 18 x 18 ring used for their first fight. When not running, Holly was often holding and grabbing Mathis. Several times the referee warned her to stop. Finally, Mathis admitted she did not prepare at Albuquerque’s, 5,300-plus feet of elevation for a sufficient period as she did for their first bout.
Wow, just wow.