Is UFC’s Rousey too good for own good?
LOS ANGELES — UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey once again proved there’s not a 135-pound female fighter in the world anywhere close to her level.
She may have to look outside her weight class to find any real competition.
Rousey easily dispatched another challenger in the main event of UFC 184 at Staples Center on Saturday night, submitting No. 1 contender Cat Zingano in just 14 seconds.
Rousey has won her last three title fights in just 96 seconds. Combined.
She continues to record the type of quick wins that could have some consumers complaining about not getting their money’s worth on a pay-per-view purchase. That didn’t seem to be the case inside the arena, however, as Rousey’s fans were left in awe of another incredible performance.
“There’s very few situations where a fight goes 14 seconds and the crowd is cheering and going crazy and looking at each other with their mouths open,” UFC president Dana White said.
Rousey has that effect on people. The question remains how long that is sustainable if she can’t find a worthy adversary.
The most likely candidate to fill that role continues to be Cris “Cyborg” Justino. That name tends to elicit strong feelings from Rousey.
The post-fight news conference Saturday included questions about the powerful striker, who has never made it down to 135 pounds and has occasionally expressed doubts about whether she even could.
Still, her name came up several times. Rousey was even asked if she felt Justino’s presence was casting a shadow over her fights.
“I really don’t feel like there’s anything hanging over this fight tonight,” Rousey said. “I think we took a women’s main event and co-main event and still sold out the Staples Center. There’s nothing hanging over this, I’m proud of what I did tonight.”
Still, the question persists: Will Rousey and Justino ever fight?
It was no coincidence that Justino competed on a card just a few miles from Staples Center on Friday night, defending her Invicta featherweight title with a 46-second knockout of Charmaine Tweet in the main event of a card at Shrine Auditorium.
Justino is currently under contract with Invicta, an all-female fighting organization with a loosely defined affiliation with the UFC. White wouldn’t comment on exactly what Justino’s contract reads in regard to moving over to the UFC for a fight against Rousey.
Instead, he wants to see Justino focus on dropping the 10 pounds it would require to compete at bantamweight.
White ruled out a catchweight bout as the UFC currently only has 115- and 135-pound divisions for women.
“The champ doesn’t chase other people. You go to the champ,” White said. “(Ronda) will fight her. She wants to fight her in a minute if she makes 135 pounds. It’s not on Ronda. She’s the 135-pound champion and breaking all these records. Cyborg has to make the weight, and this fight is going to happen.”
Probably not any time soon, though.
Justino is going to fight at 145 pounds for Invicta again in July. She then intends to compete one time at 135 pounds in the organization to show the UFC that she can do so. That would set up a potential megafight with Rousey.
The champion will be unavailable for the next few months anyway. Rousey is set to begin filming a movie, though she declined to reveal details.
When she is ready to return, she insists there are options.
“I was really impressed with Holly Holm tonight. I always like to test myself against that level of striking,” Rousey said. “And Bethe Correia, she’s undefeated; I’d like to take that ‘zero’ away from her.”
Holm, a highly accomplished former professional boxer, made her UFC debut with a split decision victory over Raquel Pennington on Saturday night. It was believed she could potentially become the next challenger for Rousey with a spectacular performance, but that didn’t materialize.
Correia is undefeated and has thrust her name into the title picture by creating a bit of tension with Rousey after defeating two of the champion’s teammates in her last two fights.
In the end, Rousey is the draw. She will be a huge favorite over anyone currently on the UFC roster and expected to win easily in any of those matchups.
Yet, based on the reaction on Saturday night, that will be just fine with her fans.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.