The UFC 184 event last night in Vegas closed out the biggest weekend in the history of women’s MMA as UFC Bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey won in dominant fashion over Cat Zingano. In the evening’s co-main event, former boxing world champion Holly Holm won her debut UFC match over Raquel Pennington via split decision.
This night probably did not go the way UFC brass wanted and needed it to go. What they needed is for Holm to come out with the dominant performance and for Rousey to come back to earth and struggle with Zingano a little bit. This would have created the chance for a fast track of Holm versus Rousey, giving the UFC an option. After Holm appeared to struggle at times with Pennington, she is at least several fights away from being a viable challenger to Rousey. Despite a roster of nearly 600 athletes, the best potential match for Rousey on the current roster may be Urijah Faber.
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At welterweight, Jake Ellenberger snapped a three-fight winning streak by taking out Josh Koscheck with a North-South choke late in round two. For Ellenberger, the out was a must win, as he is still just 29 years old and it was just a few years ago that he was one of the hottest prospects in the welterweight division. Koschek is now 37 and this bout was his first in over a year. Going back to semi-retirement might be the way to go for the former stand-out.
Also at welterweight, Alan Jouban took out Richard Walsh with a wicked elbow/punch combo in the opening round. Jouban was one of the bigger favorites on the card with the odds, but Walsh came out the aggressor and had Jouban back pedalling until he got caught.
Also affecting the welterweight division was the middleweight clash between Roan Carneiro and Mark Munoz. Carneiro caught Munoz in a fight ending rear naked choke in the first round to notch a win in his first UFC fight in more than half a decade.
Former TUF reality show winner Tony Ferguson also used a first round submission to raise his ranking, as he took out UFC veteran watchdog Gleison Tibau with a rear naked choke in the first round. The win now gives Ferguson five straight wins and he is now in line for a major step up in competition.
