‘Top 5’ Ep. I: UFC Best Fighters Of 2015

#2. Ronda Rousey
Need I say more?

Ronda has accumulated a career in the UFC that is at best going to be remembered not just for years, but until UFC will be an afterthought (likely to never happen). Becoming the first woman to be signed by the UFC and obtaining UFC Women’s Bantaweight Champion back in 2012 it was the start of something amazing. She would trail blaze her career with an impressive streak as champion Extending to 12-0, before being defeated by Holly Holm on November 15th for the Women’s Bantaweight Championship. Ronda would not only take the UFC by storm, but she would hold and be awarded multiple medals, achievements, championships, and other accolades to define her illustrious career in MMA.

Her fighting style is another praise to look after, during early fights in her MMA career, Rousey mainly used striking to set up judo. She became a more proficient striker following her UFC debut, leading to her first wins by way of stoppage. While standing, Rousey normally uses jabs, knees, and overhand rights. She also seldom stands side on with a set boxing stance, but rather squaring up to the opponent, but still generate great striking power, especially when they are near the fence, or clinching opponents with the left hand to close the distance, while pummeling opponents with strikes, much akin to a Muay Thai fighter launching kickers from the clinch

It’s pretty obvious that Ronda’s “take-no-prisoner” attitude in the octagon is truly something to be admired when she’s won Performance of the Night a four consecutive times during the undefeated streak.

The fight that changed all of that was her ’bout with Holly Holm. You could feel the tension at each weigh-in, but this time around you could see the cockiness of Ronda takeover the calm and threatening normal side she would have. Despite being a heavy betting favorite, Rousey was unable to get Holm to the ground and had no answer for Holm’s superior striking. It was only the second time that Rousey had been taken beyond the first round in her MMA career.

Early in the second round, Holm knocked Rousey out with a kick to the head, ending Rousey’s three-year reign as champion; it was the first loss of Rousey’s MMA career. After the fight, Rousey and Holm were each awarded a Fight of the Night bonus of $50,000.

She was also medically suspended by UFC on November 18, 2015, which included a no-contact suspension for 45-days, and no fights for 60-days, and will depend on CT scan results to have her suspension reduced. She was medically cleared on December 9, 2015, but the suspensions still hold. A rematch with Holly Holm is targeted as a main event for UFC 200 on July 9, 2016.

(Continue to page 3: #1: Conor McGregor)