The Next Step: Rousey vs. Holm Review

Ronda Rousey takes a punch from Holly Holm (Matt Roberts – USA Today Sports)

The Preacher’s Daughter walked into Melbourne, Australia as a respected multi-talented athlete. Before 1:00am EST Sunday morning, she became a champion. Holly Holm defeated Ronda Rousey to become the new, undisputed Bantamweight champion of the UFC.

To start things off, I do not believe that this was the ultimate upset in UFC history. Deservingly so, Ronda Rousey has been a dominant force in the MMA world, but the media has elevated her to be perceived as the ultimate warrior. In reality, a former boxer and kick boxer simply outmatched Rousey as she could not do anything to combat Holly Holm. There were doubters, but Holm is an athlete Rousey had never faced before. Holly dominated Ronda right at the bell and during the last few seconds of the fight, the end result wasn’t even a question:

httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwYj1q1i4Mc

Not only did Holly Holm take control of the entire fight, but as you can see in the video above, she pushed Rousey around like a ragdoll and finished her off in an impressive fashion. It was almost like the “Finish him/her” sequence of Mortal Combat. Making its way around the internet has been Rousey’s interview with Jimmy Fallon in which she talks about Holm. The way she speaks about Holm’s strengths was almost foreshadowing the result of the fight:

httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hmfzFh56Vo

Ronda Rousey did not block enough, and Holly took advantage of a tired Rousey. In a turn of events, during the weigh in, Rousey was the emotional one while Holly Holm was cool, calm and collective. In my previous article, I stated that Holm does not create controversy or trash talk, she just wants to fight. Rousey did not touch gloves with Holm before the fight started which set the tone. Fans expecting another dominating Rousey win were disappointed, and the betting world was as well. In the end, the better woman won. On ESPN a few minutes after the fight, people were calling Holly Holm the UFC’s Buster Douglas. I wouldn’t go that far, but Holm proved criticizers wrong with a strong punch and a swift kick to the face.

So, what happens next? For Ronda Rousey, this is definitely not the end of The Rowdy One. After taking a while to recover, she posted this on her Instagram page:

httpss://www.instagram.com/p/-IMlMPBEVB/

One loss should not stop Rousey from becoming an attraction. I would not be surprised for a rematch or two down the line, as I’m sure UFC president Dana White wouldn’t miss out on a good payday for the UFC. This would give Rousey the perfect opportunity to train harder, and reflect on how to get better. Now that most of the attention is off her, she can explore more movie roles, including her leading role in the new “Road House” adaptation. I’m sure she would not lose any support from Hollywood or anywhere else considering the raw talent she has.

One thing I am hoping for is the return to the squared circle for Rousey. For months, there were rumors that after her encounter with the McMahon’s at WrestleMania 31, Rousey would fight at next year’s show. However, reports suggested that Dana White would not risk the UFC’s biggest draw getting injured. While that’s still the case, there may be less pressure to let Rousey run wild at “The Grandest Stage of them All.” Rousey has stated before that she wants the WWE Women’s Title (I will never say diva), so if she does take a small break, it wouldn’t hurt. At least she could perform a few matches to create some buzz and give WWE their SportsCenter moment.

Holly Holm now has the opportunity to shine and show the win was not a fluke, even if the video clearly shows it wasn’t. The Preacher’s Daughter is in the spotlight now, giving her a chance to show the world who she really is. The UFC has a big opportunity now. They now have a champion that has done it all, and knows how to keep her belt. I see a great future for the new champion, with nothing to hold her back.

Every fan is salivating for a rematch. I know I am. Rousey vs. Holm II has a great ring to it. Let’s hope the UFC agrees. It may not be Rocky Balboa vs. Apollo Creed II, but it sure will be entertaining.