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We asked MMATorch readers to send in their reactions to Saturday's shocking UFC 193 event, with Holly Holm dethroning Ronda Rousey with a head kick KO. Here are the first batch of responses:
Joel W. - First of all, of course I was shocked. I thought like her last fight that Ronda was going to smash through Holly. However, as soon as the fight began I knew it looked different; as Holm started landing some shots in the first round I could Rousey was getting rattled, and she seemed to be getting a little desperate to land something. I was thinking that this would be a strong round for Holm, but that Rousey would come back in round two and show that she was the champ. That is why, despite the fact that I knew Holm had round one, I was still stunned when Rousey got knocked out cold in the second.
Steve A. - Absolutely masterful performance from Holm! Rousey was clearly out-worked Saturday night, and her corner should absolutely be replaced for giving her false interpretations of her performance in that first round. I am a Rousey fan, but I watched a Holm fight before UFC 193 and truly believe that if anyone was going to dethrone the queen, it would be Holm.
Much respect to Holm and her corner for preparing her and mentoring her the right way. Holm can always improve and sharpen her tools, but that performance was masterful! She was able to avoid Rousey's ground game and clinch work and never looked intimidated. Rousey's approach in my opinion was wrong, and she never adjusted once she realized (if she realized) she was on the losing end. If that fight went all five rounds, she'd still have lost, but by unanimous decision. I believe Rousey will be back, but she need only do so after a thorough reinvention of herself and her corner. Still love you Ronda, and congratulations Holly.
Adam T. - I'll go out on a limb and say Rousey became her own worst enemy. I think that the little scuffle her and Holm had at the weigh in became a realization as to just how physically strong Holly Holm really is. Let's be honest here, Holly Holm looks like she could have just won this years CrossFit games, and when Ronda refused to touch gloves and Holm was still unfazed by any of it, I saw a sense of uncertainty in Rousey's eyes. Then finally comes the first punch Holm lands, and the look in Ronda's eyes went from "OK, I've got a real fight here" to "Oh dang I've got a REAL fight here." Aside from the terrible game plan Ronda had, and the horrid advice she got between rounds, I still believe the eyes gave it all away. As good as she looks hitting pads on Instagram, it all goes out the window once you catch that first straight shot down the pipe. Unfortunately for her that happened 10 seconds into the fight, and she never recovered. However, I did think her foot work and movement looked good, but you just can't rush a counter striker like that. Especially without any sort of head movement or feint attempts. It was an intense fight that was worth every penny, but I hope Ronda can make the adjustments to make the rematch far more competitive.
Jeffery W. - Well, Rousey's upset shocked me as it did the rest of the world. What was more shocking was Edmond telling her she fought beautifully in the first round. He corner absolutely failed to help her. While I understand they told her to keep her hands up and watch the left, telling her she fought beautifully was just wrong. In my opinion, I am hoping she tries to switch camps. I'm not going to hold my breath.
Holly, on the other hand, fought beautifully, keeping her distance and defending the single armbar attempt, and even taking Rousey down. Her hands were excellent, and I am glad to see her finally get her first KO in the UFC. It is sad that she will be shelved until Rousey is ready to fight again, most likely at UFC 200.
I couldn't be more excited about the rematch, and I expect to see a different fight altogether. It was clear that Holly won the mental game for this fight, while Rousey fought completely reckless, and with an emotional rage that left her swinging for the fences each time. It was clear after the first round Holm was going to finish the fight.
Now we wait for the rematch.
If you'd like to see your response on MMATorch, send your thoughts in to MMATorchEditor@gmail.com with the subject line "UFC 193 REAX."
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