Ronda Rousey has won five Fight Night bonuses in her last four UFC fights. She'll make it six in her last five on Saturday night in Brazil when she dismantles Bethe Correia in the main event of UFC 190.
Correia is a native Brazilian, but Rousey's popularity has grown so much that the champion may have just as many—if not more—fans at the HSBC Arena. In the Octagon, Rousey is likely better than Correia in every facet of MMA.
While Correia is known as a pure striker, Rousey has shown tremendous growth in this area since coming to the UFC. Because she's a couple of inches taller and a little better athlete than Correia (5'5"), Rousey (5'7") should have the advantage in striking.
If the fight goes to the mat, there's no question who has the advantage. Rousey has 11 wins with nine coming by way of submission. Correia has just two stoppage wins in her career, and none has come by submission.
The Brazilian is in over her head, and Rousey will take full advantage. Rousey will take home one of the two Performance of the Night bonuses.
Neil Magny Will Stop Maia
Neil Magny sounds ready to put on a show in his preliminary scrap with Demian Maia. Per Jordan Newmark of UFC.com, Magny said:
He’s already made a name for himself and he already has a huge legacy. I’m trying to come in and take over where he’s left off. He’s fighting to keep what he has and I’m fighting to take it from him. It’s a fight where both guys are not going to hold back and they’re going to leave it all in there.
Any fighter who hopes to stand a chance against a Brazilian jiu-jitsu master like Maia has to either have stellar takedown defense or be comfortable on the mat.
Magny has a little bit of both. His takedown defense is 71 percent, and his ground game has improved rapidly over the last three years. Magny is currently ranked 13th and riding a seven-fight win streak. A win over Maia would vault him into the Top 10 of the UFC's welterweight division.
Maia is no easy win in any arena or country, but the 37-year-old is especially tough in his homeland. He's lost just once professionally in Brazil in seven fights. That will only make Magny's win more impressive. He's had back-to-back Performance of the Night bonuses, and a third is on the way.
Because of Magny's takedown defense, defensive grappling skills and extraordinary 80-inch reach, he has all the physical tools and skills to beat Maia. Look for a second-round TKO victory in a dominant win from Magny.
Shogun and Nogueira Will Produce the Fight of the Night
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira will come to fight. Both men are Brazilian jiu-jitsu experts, but this fight will be fought on the feet. For as long the fight lasts, there will be fists, knees and feet flying between the two Brazilian legends.
The two men met when both were in PRIDE back in 2005. Rua won a unanimous decision, and the fight was a classic. The rematch could be just as good. The UFC recounted the first fight and previewed Saturday's rematch:
Rua and Nogueira know they are at the close of their illustrious careers. Getting back into the title picture isn't realistic, but putting on a show in front of their countrymen is an attainable goal.
Expect to see one of the most memorable fights of the year and the Fight of the Night.
Fight stats and fighter heights are courtesy of FightMetric.com.
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