Holly Holm made history at UFC 193 by dethroning Ronda Rousey from her bantamweight reign, and she did so in spectacular fashion with a stone-cold knockout via head kick at 0:59 of Round 2.
It was shocking. Rousey was a huge favorite, and Holm was a relative newcomer to the UFC with only two fights in the promotion heading into this bout. Not only that, but her first two fights in the UFC were criticized as dull and went to decisions.
So when Holm made Rousey look like a floundering amateur, bloodied her face, split her lip open and left her unconscious on the mat, it was almost entirely unexpected. Rousey had been so comprehensively dominant throughout her entire career; was anyone thinking about who she would face next if she lost?
Well, now we have to, because she did. So here are three potential fights for Rousey to stage her comeback.
Holly Holm
As is common when any long-reigning champion is unseated, UFC President Dana White has already said he would offer Rousey an immediate rematch when she returns, which is anticipated for UFC 200 in July.
Rousey was the first UFC women's bantamweight champion, a title that transferred upon the UFC's purchase of Strikeforce. And until UFC 193, she was the only women's bantamweight champion. She defended her title six times in the UFC before facing Holm.
In the Holm fight, Rousey appeared increasingly frustrated, unable to keep Holm in the clinch for a takedown and unable to do much damage to her with striking. It's unclear whether Rousey's game plan was to take Holm down and submit her, but it seemed that at some point, she elected to try to stand with her.
If Rousey is clamoring for a rematch as soon as possible and gets it, it will be interesting to see what adjustments she makes to her game and what approach she goes into it with. Maybe she will avoid engaging and try to eke out a safe decision win, but that doesn't seem like Rousey's style. It's more likely she would revert to her comfort zone; she managed to get Holm to the mat at UFC 193, so focusing on her bread and butter would probably prove the more effective bet.
And if Rousey comes back to face Holm, you can expect the buildup to be considerable. It's already starting.
Cristiane "Cyborg" Justino
This fight has been whispered about for ages, with a vicious rivalry developing between the two as they throw accusations and insults at each other. Cyborg, who fights at 145 pounds, has a record of 14-1-1 and a well-deserved reputation for brutal KO finishes.
The question of who would win, whether at 135 or a catchweight of 140, has equally ardent proponents for both fighters. Cyborg is a powerful striker, but some think she lacks technique and gets by on brute force alone—a reliance Rousey could capitalize on and exploit.
And, as with a rematch with Holm, the Cyborg fight finally materializing would create some of the most heated anticipation we've seen in MMA. It's a fight that's been talked about for years, and were Rousey to win, it would re-establish her as a nearly indestructible fighter.
Miesha Tate
While Rousey has handily beaten Miesha Tate the two times they've fought, this is a fight Tate has asked for in the past and one that Rousey could probably win quite easily. Unless this loss has so shaken Rousey's confidence that she second-guesses herself at every step, Tate's increased aggression and output are probably not enough to defeat Rousey. And Tate is a familiar opponent who survived the longest against Rousey (prior to UFC 193), making it into Round 3 in their second fight. She's also on a four-fight winning streak and has it in for Rousey in a big way.
Following Rousey's loss, Tate candidly offered this NSFW statement from a gentlemen's club in Las Vegas, courtesy of MMA News Source: "I'm f--king stoked. F--k Ronda Rousey. F--k her and her 'Nobody has the right to beat me.' Nobody has the right to beat you? Well you just got beat, b---h."
Now that Holm is the champion, Tate seems to think she's next in line. Proving she can beat Rousey, something she has yet to accomplish, would illustrate her progress as a fighter and that she's truly earned a shot at the title.
And for Rousey, winning yet again against her nemesis would provide a much-needed morale boost as she begins her quest to reclaim the belt.
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