Women take center stage in UFC 193 when “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey defends her title against Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm in front of 70,000 fans in Etihad Stadium, Australia. It’s not all Rousey though. Women’s Strawweight Champion Joanna “The Polish Jedi” Jedrzejczyk defends her title against Valerie “Trouble” Letourneau in the co-main event of the evening.
While Rousey and Jedrzejczyk could be monster in their own respective styles, don’t forget that they can be smoke shows as well outside the Octagon. Check out our list of the hottest female fighters in the UFC.
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UFC 193: Rousey vs. Holm Preview
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship: Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm
No star shines brighter than “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey (12-0) when it comes to mixed martial arts. She’s done it all—win championships, star in movie shows, host ESPN and pose for magazines. But why is she such a big star? Rousey has the looks for one; she also happens to be the baddest woman on the planet with unparalleled mixed martial arts skills.
[sc:UFC240banner ] Rousey started off as a Judo-stylist, with a perfect uchi-mata to throw her opponents on their heads. She won her first five professional bouts via her patented armbar to win the Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Championship against arch-rival Miesha Tate. Two years later, she found herself on the biggest stage of all—the UFC.
Rousey was the perfect star for the UFC, being brash and outspoken. She also happens to be a finishing machine. Rousey has three armbar victories in the UFC, all within one round. It’s not all grappling for her, though. Rousey has improved on her boxing and Muay Thai, with three first round knockout victories (two via punch, one via knee) in her last four fights.
The women’s bantamweight champ has greatly improved her striking recently, but she’ll face her greatest challenge to date in boxer-turned-mixed martial artist Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm (9-0). Holm may not have plenty of fights in mixed martial arts, but she’s a veteran in her own right with a sterling 33-2-3 professional boxing record with 15 different championships to show.
Holm has expanded her striking arsenal with thunderous kicks. Five of Holm’s knockouts have come by kicks to the head or body. While her knockout power may be highlighted, Holm’s best chance for the upset is to stick and move while peppering Rousey with jabs and straights. Holm has the best footwork and striking to date of all of Rousey’s past challengers. It’s this movement that should give “The Preacher’s Daughter” a chance in hell for the upset.
Writer’s prediction: Rousey should win without a sweat. But Holm has all the tools and the smarts needed for an unlikely upset. Sprinkle a small amount at the challenger for +900.
UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship: Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Valerie Letourneau
Line: Joanna Jedrzejczyk (-2,000) vs. Valerie Letourneau (+1,000) – view all UFC 193 lines
You’re going to love Joanna “the Polish Jedi” Jedrzejczyk (10-0). She’s an outright killer as the Women’s Strawweight Champion with back-to-back stoppage victories in title fights. Jedrzejczyk wrested the championship from inaugural Strawweight Champion Carla Esparza with a second-round technical knockout in March. Then she defended her title with a bloody third-round TKO of Jessica Penne in June.
Jedrzejczyk is a four-time kickboxing champion and a 10-time Muay Thai champion in her storied striking career. It’s been very evident in her UFC stint, landing 4.9 significant strikes per minute. The Polish Jedi’s striking props were under the spotlight in her two championship fights, outlanding her opponents 179-29 in total strikes.
The defending champ has to be careful heading into this fight, because she might just run into plenty of trouble. Valerie “Trouble” Letourneau (8-3) is one big strawweight. Formerly a bantamweight (20 pounds heavier), Letourneau has found a home in the Strawweight Division with back-to-back victories over Jessica Rakoczy and contender Maryna Moroz.
Letourneau showed a solid striking game in her last bout against Moroz, outlanding the Ukranian 69-55 with a knockdown. What makes the challenger dangerous is her ground game. She has three takedowns in her last two fights with a pair of submission attempts and five guard passes. But her size advantage may all be for naught if Letourneau runs out of gas. A brutal weight cut all the way down to the 115-pound limit should severely hinder her cardio, especially for a five-round fight.
Writer’s prediction: Jedrzejczyk (-2,000) will inflict plenty of pain in her second title defense, enough to put a stop to the fight in the fourth round.
Mark Hunt (10-10-1) is desperate to make up for a horrible fifth-round TKO loss to Stipe Miocic in May. He’ll have his shot against Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva (19-7, 1NC) in a rematch of their five-round thriller in December 2013, a majority draw. Hunt was spectacular in that showdown, landing 103 significant strikes with a knockdown and two takedowns, while Silva has a knockdown of his own.
Hunt has a shot at forcing a stoppage this time around, considering Silva is on quite a tailspin. Bigfoot lost two of his last three fights, both by brutal first round knockout.
Writer’s prediction: Hunt (-280) knocks out Silva in the second round.
Uriah “Primetime” Hall (12-5) stormed into the top 10 of the Middleweight Division with a thrilling second-round knockout victory over contender Gegard Mousasi in September. A well-timed flying spinning back kick found Mousasi’s chin before a flying knee flush to the head and follow up punches sealed the deal.
Hall figures to make the most out of his visit to Australia, especially knowing that Robert Whittaker (14-4) struggles against Karate stylists. But Whittaker has the forward pressure and the punching power (he won his last two by knockout) to give Hall some trouble.
Writer’s prediction: Hall (-145) catches Whittaker coming in for a spectacular second-round knockout.
Jared Rosholt (13-2) is knocking into the top 15 of the Heavyweight Division after back-to-back victories. But standing in his way is the resilient “Skyscraper” Stefan Struve (26-7). What could hurt Rosholt is his propensity to gas out late into fights, not a good thing against a tenacious and hard-hitting heavyweight like Struve. The Skyscraper has three knockouts coming in either the second or third rounds in his UFC career.
Writer’s prediction: Struve (-120) takes advantage of a tiring Rosholt for a late second-round technical knockout.
Fox Sports 1 Prelims
Jake “The Celtic Kid” Matthews is one of the best prospects in the Lightweight Division. Akbarh Arreola is the journeyman in Matthews’ way to the spotlight. Matthews (-1,000) wins by submission.
Peter Sobotta is a grappling specialist, but he may be biting off more than he can chew going against Australian hometown hero Kyle Noke (+140). The Aussie has the size and strength to bully his way to a decision victory.
Gian Villante has all the tools to lay a whooping on Anthony Perosh. Villante (-450) mops the floor with Perosh en route to a second-round TKO victory.
Richie Vaculik (-110) was having his way in his last fight, before being knocked out by a low-percentage side kick. His next opponent Danny Martinez, loser of three straight, is bad enough to give him a hometown victory.
UFC Fight Pass Early Prelims
Daniel Kelly (+210) has a knack for grinding out his opponents. He should have the grappling chops to handle a skinny Steve Montgomery.
Richard Walsh hits hard. Steve Kennedy is quirky, but isn’t as refined on the feet. Walsh (-330) by knockout.
James Moontasri (-330) is well-rounded enough to deal with UFC newcomer Anton Zafir.
Ben Nguyen made quite a statement in a first-round knockout of Alptekin Ozkilic in May. Ryan Benoit was equally as impressive in a TKO victory over promising contender Sergio Pettis. In an evenly-contested matchup, take the dog Benoit (+115).
