Ronda Rousey‘s loss to Holly Holm in November 2015 was one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. Rousey was the undefeated women’s bantamweight champion, and many believed she was unbeatable. However, Holm, a former professional boxer and kickboxer, delivered a stunning knockout blow to Rousey in the second round of their fight at UFC 193, ending her reign as champion.
Fans to this day cannot fathom Ronda Rousey’s quick downfall and her KO loss against Holly Holm. Recently, a UFC veteran and former fighter highlighted the ‘real’ reason why he thinks Rousey lost that fight.
Chael Sonnen on Ronda Rousey’s loss
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Former UFC title contender Chael Sonnen spoke about Rousey‘s loss to ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ and why he believes it happened. According to Sonnen, Rousey‘s last 4 fights before Holm were very easy, and she won them comfortably. He believes this lack of competition left Rousey ill-prepared for a fighter like Holm, who was a more skilled striker and had more experience in high-level combat sports.
“Do you want to know the number one reason that Ronda Rousey had a hard time with Holly Holm? It wasn’t kickboxing, it wasn’t the flight to Australia, it wasn’t the crowd, it wasn’t the media, it wasn’t the pressure. It was the previous four opponents. When you get on a roll, you start to think things are going to be easy,” said Sonnen.
Ronda Rousey: Her last four opponents before Holly Holm
Sonnen‘s remarks on Rousey‘s previous fights are not without merit. Before Holm, Rousey had defeated Alexis Davis, Cat Zingano, and Sara McMann in a quick and dominant fashion. She had also defeated Bethe Correia in just 34 seconds, which was her quickest win in the UFC. These four fights saw her spend a cumulative 130 seconds within the octagon. While Rousey‘s skills and dominance cannot be denied, it is possible that her lack of tough competition left her unprepared for a fighter like Holm.
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At the end of the day, Holm also deserves the credit for the win. ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ was an incredibly skilled striker, and Rousey‘s game plan to take her down and submit her was not successful.
Chael Sonnen‘s remarks on Ronda Rousey‘s loss to Holly Holm highlight an important aspect of MMA: the importance of tough competition. Rousey‘s previous fights may have been easy wins. However, Rousey‘s dominance and impact on the sport cannot be denied. Her legacy in MMA will continue to be felt for years to come.
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