Ronda Rousey’s sister says part of fighter ‘died’ after UFC 193 loss

We also saw the rise of a handful of fighters who had a breakout year and have become global stars.

Nearly no one gave Holly Holm a chance when she faced Ronda Rousey for the UFC women’s bantamweight title at UFC 193 in November.

UFC hopes that it can continue to ride the Rousey train for as long as possible as she is turning out to be a big draw both inside and outside the sport. What Holly Holm did, though, was amazing-plus. She hasn’t read a word about it, either. There’s something very unusual, though, when the world seems to think they know someone – this idea that society suddenly owns a right to build someone up or tear them down because they are a public figure.

UFC 189 produced the greatest in-arena atmosphere I’ve ever witnessed, with thousands of Irish fans making the MGM Grand Garden Arena feel like a 50,000-seat soccer stadium as they cheered on their countrymen, sang along with Sinead O’Connor and roared when Conor McGregor defeated Chad Mendes to claim the interim featherweight title. 

Of course, some will point out that Rousey was fighting at 135 on behalf of her employer, but that excludes the fact that she has fought at heavier weights as well.

In a report by Bloody Elbow, Jędrzejczyk went on to defend Rousey by reminding people about her accomplishments. Ortiz spoke mainly about her disdain for those saying harsh and hurtful things about her sister, and also revealed a bit about how big that loss was for Rousey. It’s yet to be seen how the issue will work out, but with five months until UFC 200, one imagines the issue has a few twists and turns yet. She fought to her strengths and, for the most part, she avoided Rousey’s strengths.

Holly Holm has never been a fighter to back down from a challenge, and she’s even willing to go up a division to face Cris “Cyborg” Justino if that’s what the UFC wanted. The company knows that Holm-Rousey II is “the money fight”, and have a precedent for attempting to preserve those contests at the expense of a wait. This is where that pitch to have a fight in between that period came in, something which would have at least kept her in shape.