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D. FOX: Rapid fire reactions to UFC 184 "Rousey vs. Zingano" event
Mar 1, 2015 - 12:30:29 AM
D. FOX: Rapid fire reactions to UFC 184 "Rousey vs. Zingano" event
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By: Dayne Fox, MMATorch Contributor

When you think that Ronda Rousey can't be any more dominant, she finds a way to prove everyone wrong. After her 16 second destruction of Alexis Davis at UFC 175, Rousey topped that by needing only 14 seconds to make the previously undefeated Cat Zingano tap. Zingano was seen as the biggest challenge that Rousey had faced, and now there seems to just be a barren wasteland of former contenders for Rousey's belt. On top of that, there's no clear choice for who has next. Rousey has stated she believes she will retire undefeated, and there is little reason to challenge that statement.

Ronda Rousey defeated Cat Zingano via submission at 0:14 of the first round

Zingano has been a notoriously slow starter, and looked to change that as she rushed out of the gate with a flying knee that resulted in Rousey flinging her down and going for an armbar. When Zingano defended, Rousey switched arms and got the needed torque to make the challenger tap. There isn't a champion as dominant as Rousey at this point as she has disposed of all of her challengers without ever being in any real danger. She is as close to the modern day Mike Tyson in his prime as anyone. It's hard to say what happens with Zingano. She had a bad game plan, but she still seems to be the second best fighter in the division and no one will be clamoring for a rematch after that ending. Rematch with Miesha Tate?


Holly Holm defeated Raquel Pennington via split decision

Was it nerves or jitters? Hard to say, but Holm didn't seem completely comfortable in the Octagon. She certainly did enough to get the win, and didn't look terrible as she stayed busy and pushed the pace for most of the fight, but I don't see her challenging Rousey in a year or two after her performance against Pennington. Pennington did what was expected in providing a stiff challenge to the newcomer, and had her moments, such as the last round knockdown. Her toughness makes her a good opponent for pretty much anyone.


Jake Ellenberger defeated Josh Koscheck via submission at 4:20 of the second round

No one on the card needed a win more than Ellenberger, and he was able to walk out with an impressive one. Not known for his submission prowess, Ellenberger pulled out a rare north-south choke after a fairly ho-hum performance before that. It's clear he is a step below the elite, but he can be a viable gatekeeper. It's hard to see Koscheck getting cut as he is an original TUF cast member and he didn't look horrible before getting caught in the choke, but he has clearly lost a step or two from his glory days.


Alan Jouban defeated Richard Walsh via KO at 2:19 of the first round

Is Jouban really that small of a welterweight, or is Walsh really that big for 170 lbs.? Anyway, Walsh was controlling the early action as he tried to overwhelm Jouban with his size, but Jouban's explosiveness shined through, as he landed an elbow that staggered the Aussie before he capitalized with punches to get the stoppage. Jouban's ceiling seems limited, but his fights have been fun, and it's hard not to look forward to him in action. Walsh should get another opportunity, but that was his second loss in a row, meaning there are no guarantees.


Tony Ferguson defeated Gleison Tibau via submission at 2:37 of the first round

Ferguson looked better than ever and picked a good time to do so. Tibau is a high level gatekeeper for a reason as he is very difficult to put away, but Ferguson made it look easy. At 31, Ferguson should be at his physical peak, and may even enter the rankings after that dominating performance. If he doesn't break through on the rankings, he will at least be getting a ranked opponent next. Tibau likely blew the best opportunity he'll ever get to break out of the role of gatekeeper, though honestly it isn't the worst title he could have.


Roan Carneiro defeated Mark Munoz via submission at 1:40 of the first round

Munoz needs to hang it up. He didn't look good as a natural welterweight had very little trouble in taking his back and choking him out. That isn't to take anything away from Carneiro, as he looked better than he ever has before and it seems he just may be best suited to be at middleweight, but Munoz's collapse will be what everyone takes from this one. Well, that and the ref's incompetence which allowed Munoz to go out. Keep in mind that Munoz's doctor advised him against fighting in this fight in the first place. He's had a more than respectable career and has nothing to be ashamed of.


Kid Yamamoto and Roman Salazar ended in a no contest at 2:37 of the second round

While this wasn't exactly a barn burner; it was a competitive bout, and it seemed likely that Yamamoto was about to pick up the UFC victory that had been eluding him for his career. Instead he might have to settle for claiming he didn't lose all of the UFC fights he took part in, as multiple eye pokes ended this one early. Yamamoto didn't look like his old self, but he looked good enough to take care of the cable guy (Salazar). Hard to say if Yamamoto will want another opportunity seeing as how this was his first fight in three years, though it seems a safe bet that we'll see Salazar again.


Tim Means defeated Diego Lima via TKO at 2:17 of the first round

Means re-established that the best game plan against the young Lima is pressure, pressure, and more pressure, as the youngster wilted after a few short minutes in the cage with the veteran. Means is now riding a three fight win streak, but a large push for him shouldn't be expected. Though he is a solid veteran, it seems safe to say Means is at his ceiling. As for Lima, it's doubtful he'll reach the potential that many saw (or thought they saw) in him, as this was a very disappointing performance.


Derrick Lewis defeated Ruan Potts via TKO at 3:18 of the second round

Even though the expected outcome came about, Potts actually made a fight of things, and even had Lewis in a deep leglock that looked like he might be able to pull off in the first round. Potts' improvement wasn't enough, and Lewis controlled the rest of the fight from there to the point that it didn't seem like Potts even wanted to come out for the second round. Potts is gonna be gone now, while Lewis may get another relative nobody for seasoning before challenging the big boys again.


Valmir Lazaro defeated James Krause via split decision

This one had solid action and was a close fight that could have gone either way. But in the end I agreed with the decision as Lazaro's strikes looked to be sharper and have more oomph behind them. In the crowded lightweight division, Lazaro doesn't gain a lot of ground (though he does get job security) and Krause doesn't move down very far. Both put on fun fights regularly too, so Krause should be safe from getting cut.


Masio Fullen defeated Alex Torres via split decision

The first round started out really well before stamina started to wane on Torres, resulting in Fullen being able to control the last two rounds and take the victory. Even though the first round was exciting, it was also very sloppy, showing that these two would be better off on a regional card. But the UFC is trying to expand, and these guys are from Mexico and Colombia…


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