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[NYR]

Holly Holm straight up shocked the world last year when she beat Ronda Rousey, but it has been all downhill for her since.

She was not able to defend the title and now tonight, she loses a decision to Valentina Shevchenko, putting her record at 10-2 and her chances of another title fight within the next year at slim to nill. She likely won't see a Ronda fight till next summer, if ever. Ronda is getting the title shot when she comes back and assuming she wins, Holly likely won't be in the title fight picture for some time with a backlog of talent such as Nunes, Shevchenko and Tate all likely ahead of her.

Can we call it yet? Is she going to be remembered as a one-lucky-fight fighter like Buster Douglas who knocked out Mike Tyson?

Only way she can salvage this, IMO, is if Ronda loses the title fight she'll get, we get a Ronda-Holly re-match in 2017 and Holm knocks her out again.

 

[Cipherr]

I dont think so. There was nothing lucky about Rhonda losing to Holm. Rhonda's stand up was always trash, and Holm just beat here there. Fair and square.


There was (or is) a strong lingering feeling that perhaps Tyson beat himself more than Douglas beat Tyson; But I haven't seen that sentiment at all with Rhonda. She just fought someone who was generally strong in an area that she was weak in. Rock Paper Scissorkick .

 

[BadAss2961]

Nah, she's still a contender. There's no fight in her division you'd completely count her out of winning.

Buster Douglas was a true underdog against any championship level fighter.

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

I don't follow Kickboxing glory, but friends swear by her credentials. Her accomplishments in kickboxing are truly impressive.


Do you think Ronda will come back? I heard she is fucked. that loss really messed her up.

 

[The Hobo]

Can we call it yet? Is she going to be remembered as a one-lucky-fight fighter like Buster Douglas who knocked out Mike Tyson?

Nah. Holly wasn't lucky. She was trained in an area that Rhonda is weak in and she amade the most of it.

It's way too soon to count her out.

 

[cdyhybrid]

Lol no.

Ronda is/was nowhere near as dominant as Mike Tyson was.

 

[zewone]

Holm has always been a mediocre/boring MMA fighter. She was in the right place at the right time with Ronda.

 

[parrotbeak]

Honda was the Royce of women's MMA.

 

[lightskintwin]

Lol no.

Ronda is/was nowhere near as dominant as Mike Tyson was.

This. Like nowhere even close.

 

[SnakeXs]

Guess avoiding the multiple MMA threads until I get around to watching it isn't enough these days. Thanks for the thread title result spoilers.

 

[King Tubby]

Lol no.

Ronda is/was nowhere near as dominant as Mike Tyson was.

Also, Holm's more accomplished than Douglas was, and her beatdown of Rousey was so thorough and devastating in a way Douglas' upset wasn't.

 

[SolicitorPirate]

So I have zero knowledge of mma, but isn't a 10-2 record really good?

 

[Xe4]

Her kickboxing is godlike. Best in Womens MMA at the moment. Problem is her groundwork is trash, and that's what gets her. I still think she can do well given the right opponents.

 

[lightskintwin]

Also, Holm's more accomplished than Douglas was, and her beatdown of Rousey was so thorough and devastating in a way Douglas' upset wasn't.

Probably the worst beatdown of any #1 "elite" fighter in the prime of their careers against a huge underdog in the history of combat sports.

 

[-MD-]

She'll always be a legend for being the one that took Ronda out.

I can't thank her enough.

 

[Obliterator]

Honestly Ronda can easily beat her if she stayed patient and took her down and didn't rush. She was taken down multiple times by someone with next to no ground game.

Props to Holm and I am a fan but she isn't the elite in the division. I'm not even sure she's top 5.

Her kickboxing is godlike. Best in Womens MMA at the moment. Problem is her groundwork is trash, and that's what gets her. I still think she can do well given the right opponents.

That's not even kind of true. She was outstruck and countered for 4 out of 5 rounds tonight. If anything her kickboxing was exposed tonight.

 

[lightskintwin]

She'll always be a legend for being the one that took Ronda out.

I can't thank her enough.

LOL

Ronda was probably the first version of "Great White Hype" in MMA thus far, which originated from Boxing. Although her being female played a huge part in the media overhyping her as well. It's embarrassing that in a year where Mayweather beat an All Time Great and future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao in the biggest PPV event of all time, Rousey wins the Fighter of the year ESPY.

 

[Jest Chillin]

Holm is not Top 5 in the Women's division. She beat Rhonda because Rhonda's stand up is bad, Rhonda believed in her stand up too much, and Holm trained to defend Rhonda's most commonly used takedowns.

Outside of that specific match up on that specific night... Holm is nothing special in MMA.

 

[Acorn]

LOL

Ronda was probably the first version of "Great White Hype" in MMA thus far, which originated from Boxing. Although her being female played a huge part in the media overhyping her as well. It's embarrassing that in a year where Mayweather beat an All Time Great and future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao in the biggest PPV event of all time, Rousey wins the Fighter of the year ESPY.

I remember Gaffers (many, too many) saying she could kick floyd's ass

 

[lightskintwin]

I remember Gaffers (many, too many) saying she could kick floyd's ass

I was on a boxing forum with hardcore boxing fans saying the same dumb shit. They let their hatred of Floyd stand in the way of their reason. Subconscious and implicit racial bias probably played a part too.

 

[CassidyIzABeast]

Beyond getting an upset win and then losing I don't think they're that similar.

It still took Buster 10 rounds to get that KO. Holly washed Ronda nearly from start to finish.

that ass whopping was vicious. Fucked up the movie money and everything.

 

[Obliterator]

I mean Ronda with an intelligent game plan can smash Holm in a rematch. I'm not sure how anyone who has watched the Tate or Shevchenko fight thinks that's not impossible.

She was controlled tonight on the mat by someone who doesn't even have a belt in BJJ and has no background in Greco or Freestyle Wrestling.

 

[Big-E]

Looking at it the wrong way. What Holm does is irrelevant. You need to look at Ronda and from all indication, she seems to be going down the shitter like Tyson did after the loss.

 

[C4Lukins]

No Buster Douglas was a freak thing where Tyson had lost himself. He was not even considerd a top boxer. Holm is a top contender, not a fluke, but she is not a super badass either. She has the ability to destroy the best, but at the same time she is not equipped to battle particular opponents.

 

[hodayathink]

LOL

Ronda was probably the first version of "Great White Hype" in MMA thus far, which originated from Boxing. Although her being female played a huge part in the media overhyping her as well. It's embarrassing that in a year where Mayweather beat an All Time Great and future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao in the biggest PPV event of all time, Rousey wins the Fighter of the year ESPY.

Too many people hate Floyd (for both illegitimate and fully legitimate reasons) for him to ever win a popularity contest like the ESPYs. Not to mention the very fun narrative of a woman beater losing to a woman.

 

[gogosox82]

Buster Douglas wasn't nearly as good as Holm is. It really was a fluke that he won and it was more about Tyson self destructing. I don't think you can really say that about the Holm. She really dominated Rousey and she had no answer.

 

[lightskintwin]

Too many people hate Floyd (for both illegitimate and fully legitimate reasons) for him to ever win a popularity contest like the ESPYs. Not to mention the very fun narrative of a woman beater losing to a woman.

Ever since they changed the award from Best Boxer to Best Fighter award after 2006, Mayweather has won the Espy for Best Fighter 6 times in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2014.

 

[Acorn]

I was on a boxing forum with hardcore boxing fans saying the same dumb shit. They let their hatred of Floyd stand in the way of their reason. Subconscious and implicit racial bias probably played a part too.

I suspected that was playing a part too. Dude was the only bonifide superstar in boxing for a decade plus.

 

[ntropy]

Tyson was out of shape and was losing to his sparring partner before his fight with Buster ...

 

[hodayathink]

Ever since they changed the award from Best Boxer to Best Fighter award after 2006, Mayweather has won the Espy for Best Fighter 6 times in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2014.

Probably should have said again in there. My mistake.

 

[nilbog21]

100% using peds. Whole camp needs to get banned

 

[DKehoe]

Lol no.

Ronda is/was nowhere near as dominant as Mike Tyson was.

All of Ronda's wins but one have been first round finishes. Before she lost to Holm her previous three fights lasted a combined one minute and four seconds. 9 of her 12 wins went less than a minute. Ronda was pretty dominant.

 

[Pepto]

Ronda was pretty dominant.

Against cans.

 

[btrboyev]

The women's division is just a toss up all round. The level playing field is pretty much equal. Anyone can win in these fights. I watched Hollys match last night and it's not like she was truly beaten or anything. She didn't fight well and it came down to a decision. It's no big deal.

 

[PantherLotus]

I dont think so. There was nothing lucky about Rhonda losing to Holm. Rhonda's stand up was always trash, and Holm just beat here there. Fair and square.


There was (or is) a strong lingering feeling that perhaps Tyson beat himself more than Douglas beat Tyson; But I haven't seen that sentiment at all with Rhonda. She just fought someone who was generally strong in an area that she was weak in. Rock Paper Scissorkick .

Great post.

For cultural perspective, let me tell this story about Tyson vs. Douglas. My stepdad, who while was a fine, respectable, honorable man who worked hard his entire life, spent maybe an afternoon or several ever playing sports with me. (still working through that!). But he liked sports, if only on a superficial level. Royals, Chiefs, whatever.

But I'll never forget the day he got home from work asking if I had heard about Douglas beating Tyson. It was the most shocking thing and he was freaking shook.

Rousey was great and will hopefully come back because she has star power. Does anybody think they'll ever be able to tell a story about their dad busting in the door to tell them Rousey lost? I dunno, man.

 

[LosDaddie]

She'll always be a legend for being the one that took Ronda out.

I can't thank her enough.

Same.
Loved every minute of the fallout and coverage afterwards. Ronda being taken out in spectacular fashion after talking so much shit was like a dream coming true.

 

[Mesousa]

Holly holm has to be tons worse to be on the level of that Buster Douglas lmao.

 

[BigDug13]

Rhonda fought with the arrogance like she could beat anybody and everybody in any fashion she chose. Holly Holm went on to get choked out by Tate who then lost her defense match. I firmly believe that if Rhonda fought like anyone and everyone is capable of beating her and stuck to her Judo and grappling strengths instead of trying to prove she can beat Mayweather by trying to have a boxing match with a pro boxer, she probably would have been fine. She drank her own kool-aid. Anderson Silva's first loss felt the same way. Like these people get so full of themselves into thinking they're the greatest fighter in the sport that they take their victories for granted and don't play the strategy that got them to the top.