Roundtables
ROUNDTABLE: Does Ronda Rousey vs. Cris Cyborg need to happen for either or both of their legacies in the sport?
Aug 4, 2015 - 8:50:57 PM ROUNDTABLE: Does Ronda Rousey vs. Cris Cyborg need to happen for either or both of their legacies in the sport?

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Does Ronda Rousey vs. Cris Cyborg need to happen for either or both of their legacies in the sport? Do you think it will actually come together, and by when?

RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

It needs to happen for Cyborg's legacy, lest she be known as that muscle-bound chick who beat Gina Carano in 1965 or whenever the hell it was and get popped for steroids. Ronda Rousey's legacy is secure. If she retires today, she goes down as the best female combat fighter of all-time. Rousey has nothing to gain from that fight, and Cyborg has nothing to lose by campaigning for it, so it only happens on Rousey's terms.

Rousey's making eight-figures a year now between fights, endorsements, entertainment projects, etc. Cyborg's making closer to eight bucks a year, fighting for Invicta, and... teaching Tae Kwon Do classes? If I'm Cyborg, I'm doing everything in my power, above and beyond having Tito Ortiz tell people that I'm doing everything in my power, to make 135 lbs. If I have to go months without weight training whilst eating nothing but 500 calories per day, then that's what I'm doing. A win over Ronda Rousey essentially lets Cyborg usurp Rousey's place in the sport, if not in pop-culture, and it certainly will earn her tons more cash than she's hauling in right now.

Now, will it come together, and when? Damned if I know. If it doesn't happen by UFC 200, though, it's not happening.


MICHAEL BANE, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

It doesn't have to happen at all for Rousey's legacy. Rousey is a pioneer in women's MMA, and a star who has transcended the sport with her mainstream appeal. When national newspapers and websites mention Rousey on the front page of their publications, you know that she's registering on our collective social consciousness. There are very few MMA fighters who casual sports fans, and even non-fans, are aware of. Rousey's crossover appeal in to mainstream media is only bringing more public awareness to her exploits in the cage. Pop culture taking notice of her feats is only making her presence, and ultimately legacy, even more larger than life.

Rousey's legacy has been established first and foremost by her sheer dominance in the sport. Babe Ruth twice hit more home runs in a season than any other TEAM in the American League. Wayne Gretzky has more assists in his career than any other player has total points. Wilt Chamberlain once average an unfathomable 50.4 per game for an entire season. That is the type of domination Rousey is bringing to her sport. The most comparable athlete I can come up with is "Iron" Mike Tyson. At his prime, people weren't watching him to see a great fight. They were watching him to take in the complete and unimaginable destruction he capable of in the ring.

Rousey is on another level. The fighters she is beating are the best of the best. She's not only beating them in ways we didn't think possible, we almost can't believe what we've seen after it happens. Her current run is historic, and her legacy will remain intact as both a pioneer, and one of the greatest to ever fight, regardless of whether she ever steps across the cage from Cyborg.

Cyborg, on the other hand, doesn't have much in the way of legacy. Her dominance in a lesser viewed organization, fairly or unfairly, just makes her a big fish in a small pond. If she never fights Rousey she will largely be forgotten after her career ends. Sadly, the legacy that she leaves behind, for those that actually do remember her, will likely be that of an athlete who resorted to cheating by steroids. This will largely be because of Rousey's continuing comments on the matter, comments that the media never fails to report on.

Cyborg's best, and probably only, chance of being remembered as anything more than a cheater is not to fight Ronda Rousey. It's to beat her. A fight and a loss against Rousey will make her just like everyone else. No one will think of her again if she loses as the UFC will just go about building up their next "challenge" for Rousey. Cyborg would ultimately go the way of the Bethe Correia's of the world who were able to talk big but did the exact opposite of backing it up. Cyborg's only real shot at being remembered as as great in the sport is a win over the Rowdy one. Anything less, and she'll be remembered by few, and even those will be mostly as a cheater or the woman who never fought Rousey. Rousey doesn't need Cyborg, but Cyborg definitely needs her.

This fight will ultimately happen. Cyborg is going to have trouble making weight, and she may ultimately have to do it by dropping some muscle. Her muscle is her greatest advantage, as she has uncommon and scary strength for a woman. At this point though, she really doesn't have much of a choice. MMA careers are fleeting, and getting a big payday is a huge motivation in making that fight happen, even in conditions that aren't ideal for her. In Cyborg's perfect world, Rousey would come up to 145 lbs. and she'd get paid while fighting at her optimal weight. Unfortunately Rousey has nothing motivating her to do that. Her legacy is safe, and she doesn't need the money. Cyborg will do what she has to to make the weight, and we'll watch for her to capitalize on that puncher's chance before Rousey finishes her off. Cyborg to be mostly forgotten shortly after Rousey obliterates her at UFC 200.


FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

For Cyborg, it absolutely needs to happen if she wants to be considered the best. Cyborg is up there on the list, but no one is going to say she's the best if she doesn't fight and beat Rousey. This doesn't need to happen for Rousey, she's already considered the best woman of all-time, but it would help some. It would put an end to things with people calling for this fight for some reason. I think Rousey would beat Cyborg at any weight, but fighting at 135 lbs. would mean that Rousey would destroy Cyborg, who would be cutting a lot of weight, and I think that would have a huge impact on her. I do think the fight comes together eventually, probably around the beginning of 2016 sometime. I'm thinking Spring or something. There's just too many reasons not to do this fight, but the main one is money. Rousey-Cyborg is a much easier fight to sell than Rousey-Tate 3, and the rest of the fights in the division are even harder to sell.


TOM STRONG, MMATORCH UK CONTRIBUTOR

Forget Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor, the biggest fight the UFC can make at the moment is without doubt Ronda Rousey vs. Cris Cyborg. Who's left for either fighter? OK, the UFC can throw more tomato cans at Ronda and she'll continue to destroy each and every one of them with ease and people will buy into it, but it's the a true 'super fight' between two of the best female fighters on the planet we all want to see. Ronda has Miesha Tate to deal with next, someone she's already beaten up twice before, then apparently she's starring in a movie about her own life story, so this fight isn't likely to happen anytime soon, but this does give Cyborg enough time to get a fight at possibly 140 lbs. and then down to 145 lbs. We know this fight won't happen at any weight other than bantamweight, and it'll be for the UFC title, which I totally agree with.

I wouldn't be surprised if we eventually see this fight headline UFC 200 on July 2, 2016.


DAYNE FOX, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Cyborg needs Ronda far more than Ronda needs Cyborg. Casual fans don't know or particularly care who Cyborg is. Yes, I know that she has been just as dominant at 145 lbs. as Ronda has been, and even took down the first "it" girl in women's MMA in Gina Carano handily. But there are two things that are working against her legacy: a lack of sex appeal and a failed drug test. The sex appeal issue is something that hardcore fans ignore in terms of her body of work, but it severely limits her exposure, and the drug test failure is something that will forever haunt her regardless of how many she has passed or will passed as her physique screams "unnatural." She NEEDS Rousey if she is to get any sort of due credit for her accomplishments.

Rousey is already in another stratosphere as a fighter. I've never witnessed an MMA fighter receive the attention that she has, and I'm not sure where her ceiling might be at this point. She has a movie where she is going to star as herself coming out for hell's sake! She can still get bigger.

I don't think the fight will happen, though, as Rousey has proven to be very stubborn; and I don't mean that in a bad way, simply as a statement of fact. She has stated that she will not fight Cyborg unless Cyborg can cut to 135 lbs. and I don't see that happening. Even if she can, we would see a depleted version of Cyborg. I'd love to see the fight take place... but I've also learned in my years as an MMA fan not to hold my breath waiting for these type of matchups to occur. If it happens I will be just as enthusiastic as anyone else, but I just don't see it.