UFC 184: Rousey vs Zingano

[Noah Southworth]

Cyborg’s story on making 135lbs has changed a lot. First, she claimed she just couldn’t make it. Then she said that doctor’s had told her it would be bad for health to even try. Then she said it would just take time and she was going to give it a shot. Now, that seems to be out the window; if you she was serious, there is no way she would let herself get as big as 175lbs and even less chance she’d advertise that fact. Even if Cyborg hadn’t pissed hot, she doesn’t deserve any compromise on this.

[Supremo]

If Cyborg can't make the weight, then that's the end of the conversation and everyone needs to move on. The division is 135. That's how much you have to weigh to fight for the title. And whilst in theory they could do a catch weight at 140 or 145 and make it non-title, where's the business sense in that? Why would you take Ronda, who's a legitimate drawing card, and risk her losing to a woman who'll fight once in UFC, then fuck off forever? This has been the stance forever, so everything hinges entirely on whether Cyborg wants to make the weight or not.

 

At this point, if I'm honest, the main reason I want to see the fight is just so we'll stop hearing about it. Plus, after all this talk of Ronda and Dana being scared, I'm starting to think Ronda would absolutely destroy her, which would be a good laugh reading the hardcore MMA message boards the next day.

 

Is Tito still Cyborg's manager? It's no wonder she comes across like a complete moron.

[Magnum Milano]

Even if they did include Frank Shamrock vs Kevin Jackson, Rousey beat that record last night anyway.

 

Shamrock vs Jackson was 16 seconds (Rousey vs Davis tied with this).

Arlovski vs Buentello was 15 seconds.

Rousey vs Zingano was 14 seconds.

 

Just read that someone in Cyborg's camp says her contract is actually with Zuffa. So if they can agree on weight, it'll be piss easy to make the fight.

 

Cheers Wand.  For some reason I had it in my head that Shamrock/Jackson was the same 14 seconds that Ronda/Cat was.

[ColinBollocks]

I think part of the reason Cyborg is constantly contradicting herself is because she's aware it's about the only time she gets proper press attention. When the Rousey fight dies so does a chunk of exposure. Even if she has no intention of fighting Rousey, she would be foolish to not keep people guessing.

 

Personally, I only really know of Cyborg because she pissed hot and her name being mentioned with Rousey all the time. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

[Noah Southworth]

If Cyborg can't make the weight, then that's the end of the conversation and everyone needs to move on. The division is 135. That's how much you have to weigh to fight for the title. And whilst in theory they could do a catch weight at 140 or 145 and make it non-title, where's the business sense in that? Why would you take Ronda, who's a legitimate drawing card, and risk her losing to a woman who'll fight once in UFC, then fuck off forever? This has been the stance forever, so everything hinges entirely on whether Cyborg wants to make the weight or not.

 

At this point, if I'm honest, the main reason I want to see the fight is just so we'll stop hearing about it. Plus, after all this talk of Ronda and Dana being scared, I'm starting to think Ronda would absolutely destroy her, which would be a good laugh reading the hardcore MMA message boards the next day.

 

Is Tito still Cyborg's manager? It's no wonder she comes across like a complete moron.

I'd like the conversation to stop because it's a fight I don't think we'll ever see. The only reason it keeps going is because Cyborg keeps teasing and talking about making 135lbs when it's pretty obvious she just does not want to. Whether she lacks the mental discipline to make the effort or lacks the will to get clean enough to to do so, Cyborg does not want to do what it takes to make 135lbs. The problem is that until she comes right out with it, it's still going to be a fight a lot of fans think will happen. And even if Cyborg did admit she won't ever make the weight, it'll remain a fight a lot of people want to happen. In either case, the talk will keep going.

 

I don't think Ronda steamrolls over Cyborg but I do think she'll beat her. If either of those happens, the hardcore MMA message boards will just claim that Rousey/Dana/The UFC put off the fight until Cyborg declined enough so that Rousey could beat. Or that they paid Cyborg to take a dive. Or that it was a fluke. Or whatever excuse they can come up with to avoid admitting that the better fighter won and that they were wrong. 

 

Tito stepped down as Cyborg's manager last year.

[dopper]

Personally, I only really know of Cyborg because she pissed hot and her name being mentioned with Rousey all the time. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

 

You are not. I've been a regular UFC viewer since Brock arrived in 2008 and know nothing of Cyborg.

 

If the fight does eventually happen I doubt it will automatically do huge numbers, the UFC are going to need to do a lot of work explaining who Cyborg is and what her history is to demonstrate what a threat she is.

 

They did that very well when Jake Shields was brought in to fight GSP. Showing footage of his career and listing all of the great stats about his winning streak made him seem like a big threat ... at the time.

[Egg Shen]

If you've been a regular MMA fan since 98 you should know who Cyborg is? Unless of course you only watch and read anything UFC related.

[bono]

Theres a little newspaper report about rousey's win in the sport section of the sun today.

 

I dont think ive ever seen the ufc reported in the sun's sport section. I could be wrong though

[melina_mma]

I'm very much in the opinion that UFC don't want Cyborg, she is a banana skin waiting to happen. If she wins the belt and then fails a drug test it would leave the division in a mess. Even if she does win how marketable is she? I know WWE managed to make Chyna marketable but that was because she was wrestling men! If she wins the press stories aimed at the casual fans will all highlight her past drug use as much as the fact she beat Ronda.

 

Anyway i think Ronda would have her number

[ColinBollocks]

Theres a little newspaper report about rousey's win in the sport section of the sun today.

 

I dont think ive ever seen the ufc reported in the sun's sport section. I could be wrong though

This morning at work I was talking to a few colleagues about the fight, which never happens because they don't really care for MMA. They were all stunned that somebody as good looking as Rousey can also be such a beast.

 

 

I'm very much in the opinion that UFC don't want Cyborg, she is a banana skin waiting to happen. If she wins the belt and then fails a drug test it would leave the division in a mess. Even if she does win how marketable is she? I know WWE managed to make Chyna marketable but that was because she was wrestling men! If she wins the press stories aimed at the casual fans will all highlight her past drug use as much as the fact she beat Ronda.

 

Anyway i think Ronda would have her number

If she beats Rousey she's piss easy to market as a super destroyer that managed to beat the best ever - and, of course, it sets up an immediate re-match that will do incredible business. Her past troubles make here a natural heel to the super babyface that is Rousey.

 

So long as she doesn't fail a drug test in UFC she'll be fine.

[Egg Shen]

I never feel that Cyborg is being cast out because the UFC feels she'd beat Rousey. It's always more that the UFC want Cyborg to fight Rousey in Rousey's weight class and Cyborg simply can't get there, it's that simple in my opinion.

[Scott Malbranque]

I have bicep genetics akin to Cyborg. Not sure if I'm altogether comfortable with that.

[David]

Rousey/Cyborg will happen if Cyborg can prove she can make 135lbs. That's the only thing in the way. One of the narratives the anti-Rousey brigade like to use is that Rousey/UFC are ducking Cyborg when the fact is that Cyborg was the first opponent they wanted for Rousey when she debuted in the UFC. She got offered the fight and turned it down, ostensibly because she didn't think she could make the weight, but she was offered the fight. As has been said, even Cyborg pissing hot isn't a factor. It's all on Cyborg making 135lbs. She can do it, but it's all down to whether she's willing to do what it takes. And given how heavy she was for her 'featherweight' title fight, her ability or willingness to get to 135lbs is not looking good.

 

If the fight never happens, there is nobody to blame but Cyborg. The ball is in her court.

 

Don't you think that if it was simply a case of "she can do it" when it comes to the weight, that she would have actually done it? You don't think she's more interested in making big money in the UFC than she is in pissing about, smashing chumps in Invicta? Christ, if she's manhandling women at 140lbs & 145lbs could you imagine what she'd be doing to females at 135lbs?

 

I remember reading a quote from her doctor saying that cutting down to 135lbs would be very detrimental to her health. 

 

I've even read on this forum that it's ridiculous to drop so much weight, and how fighters are mental for risking their health in order to do so. That discussion actually happened, right?

 

So, why is it different in this case? Why is it simply a case of "she can do it", and "it's whether she's willing to do what it takes"? What if "willing to do what it takes" is fucking herself up royally? Is that okay?

 

Or are we still rolling with the "she was willing to take steroids, so she should be willing to dehydrate herself as well" argument I heard before?

 

Have you seen her on the scales for bouts at 145lbs? You honestly look at her and think she can drop another 10lbs? Seriously?

 

The only way the fight happens in any kind of competitive way is at 140lbs, simple as that. And I don't see that happening, as Rousey has nothing to gain by doing so.

 

She can keep beating the 135lbs division and making good money, and if Cyborg finally decides to kill herself and risk her health at 135lbs we'll likely see Rousey beat a shadow of the fighter we're used to seeing at 145lbs. It's win/win either way for her, so why risk the toughest fight of her career when she really doesn't have to?

[d-d-d-dAz]

No ones asking her to cut weight though, they've said she should lose weight.

 

They're two massively different processes.

 

And, looking at her, if she can't lose 10lbs I'm the queen of England. That's superfluous mass mostly, on account of her being a gear head. She's not gaunt, she's not thin. She's jacked.

[lambyUK]

I've said this a long time ago, but Ronda is now 28 years old, and for women it's a very different game because of the potential element of becoming a mother. You do see women fighters who are mothers like Zingano or Mcmann, but both had their children early in their careers.

 

I get the impression that Ronda would like to be a mother some day, and having a child would realistically take a woman fighter out of the game for at least 2 years (assuming the mother chooses to breast feed) and then the length of time it would take to get back into fighting shape.

 

The point I'm making is that on top of hollywood calling plus all the other opportunities, I wouldn't be surprised if Ronda decides to leave MMA in 1 or 2 years in order to focus on a family and a career from the risks of her face being caved in.

 

Thus, for me, like I've said in the past, the best time to book Ronda vs Cyborg will be for her last MMA fight. The division is nearly cleared bar Holly Holm, Correira, and even a Zingano rematch that I think we will see despite the weekend's outcome.

 

Then she has her last match, no title on the line, as it's simply a catchweight super fight similar to that of a Silva vs Diaz fight.