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Opinion:
In the wake of Ronda Rousey’s stunning UFC 193 knockout loss to Holly Holm in front of a record 56,214 fans in Melbourne, Australia if you listened closely you could hear the tectonic plates of Women’s MMA shifting and moving forward ever so slightly. Over the course of two rounds, title challenger Holm battered and decimated Rousey in the most convincing manner possible, separating her from consciousness with a ferocious and vicious display of striking. At the conclusion of the match, stunned Rousey fans around the globe and mainstream media outlets (CNN, NY Times, Fox News, etc) struggled to come to grips with the reality of what transpired before their very eyes. Their once invincible champion’s belt was now wrapped around the waist of another, and the aura and narrative of an indomitable Rousey now appeared to be somewhat of a mirage rooted in years of UFC promotional drumming. Never before had Rousey ever been made to look so pedestrian and mortal by an opponent. It was quickly dubbed across hundreds of mainstream and sporting outlets as “the biggest upset in UFC history”. The concern worn across UFC President Dana White’s face in the aftermath was telling.
Yet, somewhere buried in the defeat of Rousey, who has unquestionably elevated the sport of Women’s MMA to new mainstream heights, is a cruel bit of irony. It’s an irony which in order for the sport of Women’s MMA to evolve and progress further, required her fall from grace in the most spectacular and devastating manner possible as witnessed at UFC 193. With all eyes on Rousey Saturday night in Melbourne, it is as if the very sport of Women’s MMA chose the zenith of her popularity to teach her a moral lesson at the very fiber of its martial arts being: humility, sportsmanship, and mutual respect. As Rousey navigated her way through a 12-0 undefeated gauntlet of women challengers leading up to UFC 193, she often did so in a manner great for selling fights, but in stark contrast to the spirit of the values exhibited by the Women’s MMA pioneers who came before her who made her ascent possible. It’s an approach which quietly ruffled the feathers of many female fighters grateful for her overall success, but discontent with the manner in which she seemed to represent the values of the sport of Women’s MMA altogether.
In light of Rousey’s stunning upset, the floodgates and potential for Women’s MMA are now open and no longer characterized by a sample size of just one representative (Ronda Rousey). With the spotlight now shifted to Holly Holm, it will be up to the newly minted star to embody the ethos and values found in the fabric of the sport as well as using the limelight to illuminate the countless other Women’s MMA fighters capable of propelling the sport forward in tandem with herself. Given the character of Holly Holm we have seen to date and on display in her UFC 193 victory, it is as if the sport of Women’s MMA utilized Rousey as the vehicle to achieve mainstream status before ultimately deciding to then pass the torch to the next superstar who will be utilized to put the core values (humility, mutual respect, sportsmanship, etc.) of Women’s MMA on full display to the public for further mainstream proliferation and acceptance.
Opinion:
In the wake of Ronda Rousey’s stunning UFC 193 knockout loss to Holly Holm in front of a record 56,214 fans in Melbourne, Australia if you listened closely you could hear the tectonic plates of Women’s MMA shifting and moving forward ever so slightly. Over the course of two rounds, title challenger Holm battered and decimated Rousey in the most convincing manner possible, separating her from consciousness with a ferocious and vicious display of striking. At the conclusion of the match, stunned Rousey fans around the globe and mainstream media outlets (CNN, NY Times, Fox News, etc) struggled to come to grips with the reality of what transpired before their very eyes. Their once invincible champion’s belt was now wrapped around the waist of another, and the aura and narrative of an indomitable Rousey now appeared to be somewhat of a mirage rooted in years of UFC promotional drumming. Never before had Rousey ever been made to look so pedestrian and mortal by an opponent. It was quickly dubbed across hundreds of mainstream and sporting outlets as “the biggest upset in UFC history”. The concern worn across UFC President Dana White’s face in the aftermath was telling.
Yet, somewhere buried in the defeat of Rousey, who has unquestionably elevated the sport of Women’s MMA to new mainstream heights, is a cruel bit of irony. It’s an irony which in order for the sport of Women’s MMA to evolve and progress further, required her fall from grace in the most spectacular and devastating manner possible as witnessed at UFC 193. With all eyes on Rousey Saturday night in Melbourne, it is as if the very sport of Women’s MMA chose the zenith of her popularity to teach her a moral lesson at the very fiber of its martial arts being: humility, sportsmanship, and mutual respect. As Rousey navigated her way through a 12-0 undefeated gauntlet of women challengers leading up to UFC 193, she often did so in a manner great for selling fights, but in stark contrast to the spirit of the values exhibited by the Women’s MMA pioneers who came before her who made her ascent possible. It’s an approach which quietly ruffled the feathers of many female fighters grateful for her overall success, but discontent with the manner in which she seemed to represent the values of the sport of Women’s MMA altogether.
In light of Rousey’s stunning upset, the floodgates and potential for Women’s MMA are now open and no longer characterized by a sample size of just one representative (Ronda Rousey). With the spotlight now shifted to Holly Holm, it will be up to the newly minted star to embody the ethos and values found in the fabric of the sport as well as using the limelight to illuminate the countless other Women’s MMA fighters capable of propelling the sport forward in tandem with herself. Given the character of Holly Holm we have seen to date and on display in her UFC 193 victory, it is as if the sport of Women’s MMA utilized Rousey as the vehicle to achieve mainstream status before ultimately deciding to then pass the torch to the next superstar who will be utilized to put the core values (humility, mutual respect, sportsmanship, etc.) of Women’s MMA on full display to the public for further mainstream proliferation and acceptance.
