Rousey vs. Carano: Why MMA Fans Need to Tune In
On May 17 (Manila time), a new chapter in MMA’s rich history gets written.
For the first time ever, an MMA card will be presented live on the global platform that is Netflix.
That means millions of new viewers will feast their eyes on a pulsating spectacle: a combat sport that has evolved into a multi-billion-dollar industry over the past 30 years.
Who better to do this introduction than two MMA pioneers squaring off in the main event? It’s a dream match that I thought would never, ever happen.
The Big Story: Rousey vs. Carano
Over a decade ago, there was a legion of MMA enthusiasts who got into the sport because of “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey. It’s not a stretch to say that she was that generation’s Mike Tyson, a “blink-and-you-miss-it” fighter who finished opponents as if she was trying to beat rush hour traffic.
Rousey’s style is, quite frankly, formulaic: Close the distance, take her foe to the ground, and lock in the vaunted armbar. Yet, for years, it was a system that hardly needed any fixing. That armbar allowed Rousey to finish the first eight opponents of her pro career in the opening round (with six women tapping out in less than a minute).
Between her prolific judo career and her celebrated UFC stint, the “Rowdy” one has a stacked resume in combat sports. Can she claim to be the first female icon of MMA? No, but Gina “Conviction” Carano can.
In 2006, when Rousey was still plying her trade as an international judoka, Carano was blazing a trail by competing in the first-ever sanctioned female MMA bout in the state of Nevada. That night, the Muay Thai specialist unleashed a flurry of punches and elbows that knocked her opponent out in 38 seconds.
Over the next two years, Carano rose to prominence in the MMA world as she went 7-0 in a variety of ways: another knockout, rear naked choke submission, unanimous decision. The beating that she dealt Kaitlin Young in May 2008 was so severe that doctors advised the referee to stop the bout after the second round.
In their respective careers, Rousey and Carano staked their claim as MMA queens who brought the ferocity of female fighters to the mainstream. They have never met in any type of cage, but now, we’re days away from watching this fantasy bout come to life.
The clash of styles will be a thing of beauty. Rousey is as lethal as they come when it comes to her ground game, but Carano has demonstrated on multiple occasions that she can bend, wiggle, and shove her way out of a tricky situation. The “Rowdy” one suffered the only losses of her pro career at the hands of two impeccable strikers (Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes), and it just so happens that “Conviction” is proficient with her fists, not to mention front kicks designed to create distance.
Ring rust and conditioning issues be damned, I’m optimistic that this will turn out to be a great fight. For a while, they ventured into the entertainment industry and took on some unflattering screen names: Luna, Crush, and Angel Dust, just to name a few. But there will be none of that on May 17.
We’re getting Ronda Rousey vs. Angel Carano. In the immortal words of Mike Goldberg, here we go.
Wait, There’s More?
Rousey vs. Carano is worth the price of admission, but credit goes to promoters Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian for signing up a who’s who of MMA stars. Here are three more bouts to look forward to in the main card presented by Most Valuable Promotions.
Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry
Drawing an audience with the gift of gab is an extraordinary trait. Nate Diaz, of course, is anything but an ordinary fighter.
When the UFC put out a “Best Nate Diaz moments” clip four years ago, it was a combination of intense sequences in the octagon and a streak of colorful language that is not fit for a PG audience. (For example: After submitting Conor McGregor in the main event of UFC 196, Diaz got on a live mic and said, “I’m not surprised, m**herf**kers!”)
Diaz, however, will have his mouth shushed if he plays around with the “King of Violence.” That, in fact, is the name of the title that Mike Perry currently holds with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. On top of his 11 knockout victories in pro MMA bouts, Perry is also a businessman who founded a startup promotion called “Dirty Boxing Championship,” which offers a hybrid combat product that’s parts MMA, Muay Thai, and boxing.
Diaz vs. Perry, then, will be a clash of two extremely creative minds. Expect a number of antics from one or both of these welterweights.
Francis Ngannou vs. Philipe Lins
Nothing beats a heavyweight slugfest, and that’s exactly how I’d describe the co-main event featuring Francis Ngannou and Philipe Lins.
Ngannou, a 6-foot-4 behemoth with an 83-inch reach, is a scary presence in any cage he fights in. Perhaps the deadliest weapon possessed by this former UFC heavyweight champion is his left uppercut, which put the likes of Alistair Overeem and Luis Henrique to sleep.
Philipe Lins has nine knockout wins to Ngannou’s 13, but this BJJ black belter can also put on a clinic in submitting opponents. Specifically, Lins has won bouts with a rear naked choke, a triangle choke, and a guillotine; he’ll have to be ready to bust out any of these moves whenever he gets the chance to drop Ngannou to the ground. A stand-up affair, on the other hand, is a scary countdown to “The Predator” landing a punch to end it all.
Junior dos Santos vs. Robelis Despaigne
In a word, Junior dos Santos is record-setting. Among all heavyweights in UFC history, dos Santos is no. 1 in knockdowns landed, takedown defense, and consecutive wins (nine, to be precise). The former UFC heavyweight champ is also tied for second-most knockouts in the division, and he’s no. 3 in significant strikes landed.
Styles make fights, and dos Santos’ boxing greatness is now on a collision course with world-class taekwondo. Robelis Despaigne, in fact, has a nice collection of medals in this sport, including a shiny bronze collected from the 2012 Olympic Games in London. In other words, Despaigne knows exactly how to inflict maximum damage with his hands. Just like he did in 2023 when he finished Stevie Payne in three seconds and landed a right-hand knockout of Miles Banks.
MVP MMA 1: Rousey vs. Caranostreams live on Netflix this May 17 (Manila time). Preliminary card starts at 6:00 a.m.; main card begins at 9:00 a.m.
For more exclusive sports stories, click here
