If you were to ask Dana White and the UFC they would be quick to tell you that Ronda Rousey is their real-life Ms. Marvel. A thumb injury to Robbie Lawler has forced him to pullout of the main event with Carlos Condit. White and the UFC needed a big-name to step-in for that fan-favorite fight.
The prospect of Lawler and Condit had fans all tingly inside. It was one that had the right combination for something special, something epic like Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald II was possible. It still may be as it is likely this fight is just postponed.
Losing this fight was a blow to UFC 193 and they needed something or someone special to replace it. There is no one more special or bigger in the UFC than Ronda right now. In a little over two-years she has become the UFC’s biggest star and Dana made the announcement on ESPN’s Sportscenter.
“Ronda Rousey was huge for us in Brazil…and it was just a phenomenal event. It did very well on Pay-Per-View here in the United States, and she’s obviously a huge superstar for us. Australia’s an important market for us, so we’re gonna bring her out there in our first real big stadium show, and we know she’ll break the (all-time MMA attendance) record out there.”
Only the UFC’s biggest stars get the Sportscenter treatment for these kind of announcements.
Credit should go to both Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm for stepping up. Ronda will get most of it as she is the star but Holm still had agree. While it is not super-short notice it is easily the biggest fight in Holm’s career.
UFC 193 will take place at the 70,000 seat Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Australia on November 14 (November 15 in Australia). Look for a sold-out stadium and another big PPV payday for the UFC as Holm is intriguing enough of an opponent to sell this fight.
Holm is certainly more accomplished than Bethe Correia and has the right style to in theory give Ronda some trouble. As a boxer Holm was not a big puncher, instead she controlled the distance, using her speed, timing and combinations to rack up a record of 33-2-3 and winning multiple titles.
In MMA Holm’s KO’s came earlier in her career, against inexperienced opponents and via kicks. Against Ronda all kicks will have to be perfectly placed and timed as Holm does not want Ronda to grab her leg off of one. That will lead to a likely quick finish from Ronda on the ground.
Ronda will be everyone’s pick going into the fight but Holm is tough and at least presents Ronda with a new problem. One that will have fans watching to see how she solves it.
It has been amazing to see how quickly Ronda has taken over the UFC as their biggest star. Not only is she their biggest star but also their Superhero ready to save a card at a moments notice. There are few fighters who could recapture the fan’s excitement after losing Lawler and Condit besides Ronda right now in the UFC. Thankfully for them she is also ready and able to be their real-life Ms. Marvel.
You have to wonder if moving the fight up favors either fighter. Will it help Ronda or Holly? Will it not matter at all? We will find out on November 14/November 15.
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