New Exercise and Fitness Review
It’s been a while since we’ve raved about sporting heroine Ronda Rousey and her incredible rise in the mixed martial arts community, but that’s not to say the female bantamweight champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship hasn’t been busy. After her last fight against Alexis Davis in July 2014 (which, by the way, Rousey dominated and finished within 16 seconds), the Olympian has undergone a successful knee surgery, rehabbed it and prepared for the biggest fight of her life and we can’t wait to see how it unfolds.
Tomorrow night, Ronda Rousey will take on Cat Zingano in a bout that’s seriously long-awaited. There are tons of reasons why you should tune in to the airing on BT Sport (or at least catch the repeat at a more reasonable hour), but here are just five:
1. It’s been a long time coming
Those who follow MMA will know just how long fans have been waiting for these two to tee off. Not only were they scheduled to fight over a year ago, but the champ and number one contender were also supposed to coach rival teams on the 18th season of the UFC’s reality show, The Ultimate Fighter, before a nasty knee injury ruled Zingano out. To make matters worse, the fight was then scheduled for 3rd January before Zingano suffered a back injury that further postponed it. So while the hype started building back in 2013, it certainly feels as though tomorrow’s fight will live up to it.
2. Someone’s got to lose
Sounds obvious, right? Since draws are rarely called in MMA bouts, there’s usually always a loser, we know. But both Rousey and Zingano are undefeated fighters in their professional MMA careers – and they’ve got eleven years worth of experience between them. We’re massive fans of both fighters, but someone’s got to lose, and we’re excited to see who as well as how. Rousey has only ever been taken out of the first round once in her 10-fight career, winning every single fight by stoppage, while Zingano is known for her unbelievable comeback ability and toughness. It’s hard to imagine either of them walking away with a loss.
3. World-class athletes at work
The UFC is undoubtedly the pinnacle of any MMA fighter’s career, and its roster of fighters includes the world’s best, that’s for sure. While Zingano’s no slouch, it’s Rousey’s sporting resume that really shines: not only was she the first American to medal at the Olympics in judo, but she was also the UFC’s first ever female champion of any weight category – and yes, this was after UFC president Dana White famously said that women would never fight in the organisation. Now? He’s one of their biggest supporters, and rightly so. Seeing this standard of athletes at their peak is not to be missed.
4. They’re keeping it classy
Rousey’s been known to speak the truth, even if it’s brutal. Don’t believe us? Just give ‘Rousey Tate’ a quick google. Her famous rivalry with fellow UFC fighter Miesha Tate has been well-documented, and it’s not nice. The pair have fought twice already, and we have a hunch that a third bout isn’t far away. But the lead-up to UFC 184 has been respectful, pleasant and relatively calm, despite all the obstacles that might’ve caused frustration in both fighters. It’ll be interesting to see how they unleash in the Octagon without the prior build-up of tension and rivalry to bounce off.
5. Women are fighting in the UFC!
Is this not enough, people? The UFC’s own president said it would never happen – then he ate his own words, and it’s pretty clear how giddy he gets whenever Rousey is set to fight. We don’t blame him, either. In fact, neither Rousey or Zingano has ever been in a less-than-exciting fight. There might be five reasons listed here to watch the two battling it out for the Bantamweight belt, but to be honest, we can barely think of any reasons not to. Support the sport and the women in it by tuning into BT Sport at 3am this Saturday 28th February (Sunday 1st March).
Follow Amanda Khouv on Twitter @theglucosekid.
Tune into Ronda Rousey versus Cat Zingano at UFC 184
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