Luke Thomas's Opinion On Rousey vs Cyborg At Catchweight

[flanellograf]

Why do they need to do anything with Cyborg. Rousey and Cyborg is the matchup we all want to see, just market it as a superfight. They were going to do it with GSP and Anderson, why not with these two?

So they should just risk Rouseys star power for a one off pay off? Yeah, that makes perfect business sense. GSP and Anderson fought in divisions that existed in the UFC already. Both of them would still be able to keep fighting and making the UFC money. And they were both draws already, and they had both lost before. Even if Cyborg would beat Ronda and stay in the UFC, she wouldn't be even a tenth of the draw that Rousey is.

 

[Shaddows]

Don't agree with Thomas at all. If Rousey loses at ANY weight it shatters her image. The entire premise of her popularity is that non-MMA fans believe she would beat any woman on the planet, and many believe she would beat nearly any man. Even if she were to Garcia or some ridiculous size mismatch it would break the illusion.

So then you rather she fights cans to "keep the illusion"?

Sometimes it makes me wonder if whose whiteknights even like MMA.
It seems they are all trying to defend Ronda from fighting which is asinine since she is a f'ing fighter!! :redface:

BTW, I completely agree with Luke on this.
And disagree an your post beyond your asinine reason. And I give you an example. BJ Penn. He went up and fought (and lost) multiple times to Hughes and GSP... and yet, he was still regarded as the LW GOAT. Nothing changed by his losses. NOTHING.

 

[Malthian]

This is what selling fights for Ronda has come to: Twitter followers

Fight promotion is about money. The UFC isn't a charity and they don't hold events for fun.

Twitter followers are just one of the measures of popularity, but one of the more current measures given the popularity of social media.

Asking the UFC to do something different than their normal operating procedure requires substantial financial incentive. Cyborg doesn't offer any incentive to the UFC to do something unusual like a one-off catch weight fight.

When Rousey is fielding 1.5M twitter followers and Cyborg has only 78K followers, that means Rousey is 20x more popular than Cyborg by at least one measure. That name recognition and built in fan base translates into ratings and PPV buys which translates into money and profit.

Until Cyborg can bring enough to the table, she has no leverage and the UFC has no incentive to make any concessions on their position.

Either Cyborg fights at 135 for the title, or she can stay in Invicta. That was the terms of her Zuffa contract, and those are the terms that the UFC will require Cyborg to fulfill.

Anything else is just wishful thinking.

Cyborg needs to make 135. The rest is just whining and complaining.

 

[slyslickNwicked]

Luke Thomas completely ignores that Cyborg usually has a 15-20 pounds on fight day.

Meisha and Caraway already stated at the 5 pounds difference matters a lot and is fair. Why should Cyborg have 15-20 pound advantage over a grappler on fight day?? Cause she wants to avoid the results of her first fight??

Luke sounds smart most of the time, but in this Fight his not fully looking at all the variables, only Cyborg needs the fight. Ronda will make millions regardless.

 

[Shaddows]

So they should just risk Rouseys star power for a one off pay off? Yeah, that makes perfect business sense. GSP and Anderson fought in divisions that existed in the UFC already. Both of them would still be able to keep fighting and making the UFC money. And they were both draws already, and they had both lost before. Even if Cyborg would beat Ronda and stay in the UFC, she wouldn't be even a tenth of the draw that Rousey is.

then why did Zuffa hire Cyborg anyway? (she is under contract with Zuffa, fighting for Invicta and signed a contract with the UFC also).

it is obvious she is not only a draw, but she is the only challenge to Ronda. Want it or not, this is reality.

 

[Dan155]

So they should just risk Rouseys star power for a one off pay off? Yeah, that makes perfect business sense. GSP and Anderson fought in divisions that existed in the UFC already. Both of them would still be able to keep fighting and making the UFC money. And they were both draws already, and they had both lost before. Even if Cyborg would beat Ronda and stay in the UFC, she wouldn't be even a tenth of the draw that Rousey is.

Exactly. Considering people the world over paid actual money to see Rousey blitzkrieg a flailing pseudoathlete in Correia, there is exactly zero financial impetus to send that cash cow to the abattoir. This superfight carries tremendous risk (Cyborg probably wins via spectacular 1st round T/KO) and offers comparatively little by way of compelling reward. The UFC will keep manufacturing "viable, dangerous" contenders for Rousey to decimate at (I'm guessing) 600K to 800K PPV buys a pop, which is a vastly more business-savvy strategy. When she starts to lose a step or expresses disinterest with the fight game, Zuffa will make the fight for one last hurrah.

 

[slyslickNwicked]

So then you rather she fights cans to "keep the illusion"?

Sometimes it makes me wonder if whose whiteknights even like MMA.
It seems they are all trying to defend Ronda from fighting which is asinine since she is a f'ing fighter!! :redface:

BTW, I completely agree with Luke on this.
And disagree an your post beyond your asinine reason. And I give you an example. BJ Penn. He went up and fought (and lost) multiple times to Hughes and GSP... and yet, he was still regarded as the LW GOAT. Nothing changed by his losses. NOTHING.

Wait, so BJpenn knew GPS was a proven cheater?? And he also had a bright idea to fight Edgar with his straight stance right

 

[SnitchInsider]

I like Luke Thomas. I tend to agree with him on a lot. This is a topic I think he is off base on, though. He thinks the title doesn't matter. I think he is being short-sighted on that. The title will never matter if you treat it like it doesn't matter.

 

[Glad he ate her]

Casual sports fans know who cyborg is because she beat up Carano. But why should Ronda meet her half way. should it also be a catch PED fight? Cyborg uses a little less, ronda uses a little more

 

[slyslickNwicked]

Why doesn't she just lose 5 pounds and get to 135?

Just shut up and lose the weight already.

Cyborg is not confident of winning fights without her 15-20 pound advantage come fight day, but all the Ronda haters will ignore it as well.

Cyborg also dont want the UFC stricter random drug testing.Cyborg doesnt want a repeat of her first fight. Sheep gonna Sheep

 

[mmafan559]

Casual sports fans know who cyborg is because she beat up Carano. But why should Ronda meet her half way. should it also be a catch PED fight? Cyborg uses a little less, ronda uses a little more

i don't think a fight that happened six years ago in an organization that doesn't exist anymore where one fighter retired after is known to casual sport fans

cyborg is such an outlier to WMMA right now it is hilarious, she should be working to 135 to fight in the UFC, whirlwind KO some cans, and do mic work and force UFC to give her title shot

but no, she does everything but

 

[adjoub]

i'm no groundhog expert but what the hell difference do 5 pounds make? i'm not one to push for a ronda-cyborg fight. if they do it, ok, i'll watch, if not, fine, whatever.

i am sure there are technical issues at stake i know nothing of. but practically, what is the difference between 140 and 135. because it's clear they will both be over 150 in there if when they fight. i haven;t been following the forums so closely so maybe the answer is already around here somewhere.

Its not just 5 pounds its 10 additional pounds on top of what she already cuts. If it wasn't a big deal Cyborg would have made the weight 2 years ago.

 

[whadupman]

You should read Luke Thomas predictions sometimes and you will know how intelligent he is .. Ronda is the champ Cyborg should come down to challenge.

 

[BruceLeeOnTRT]

But Luke Thomas' opinions are shit.

/thread. Pretty much anything this guy says I feel like I have to take the opposite stance (even if I agree), just because of how douchy the guy is.

 

[ConorMcGreGOAT]

Decided to come back and check Sherdog out for the first time in a little while. This is the first thread I see. You're all children.

See ya in a few weeks!

 

[Th3Sav4ge]

rousey has fought at 145. her not cutting weight will have no affect on how she performs.

I also think cyborg can make 140.

I also think cyborg can make 135.





I dont know why this fight isnt happening

 

[Kneeuinthenutz]

Like I've been saying since day 1.

140 makes perfect sense, and is the only weight this fight will happen.

Luke is just pointing out what is painfully obvious.

NOBODY cares if a title is on the line.

 

[slyslickNwicked]

Its not just 5 pounds its 10 additional pounds on top of what she already cuts. If it wasn't a big deal Cyborg would have made the weight 2 years ago.

Lockart and Dolce have stated Cyborg can make 135. Cyborg doesn't want to fight without her 15-20 pounds advantage, which is totally different then not being able to make 135.

Cyborg doesnt want a repeat of her first fight. Cyborg with a similar weight at BW vs Ronda, McMann, Meisha, Nunes and Holms, she doesnt like her chances.

To me its clear as day, Cyborg wants that weigh and size advantage, but sheeps dont put that into account

 

[Glad he ate her]

The more weight cyborg has on Ronda, the less judo advantage for Ronda. As long as we're being silly, let's let them fight at 140 with Gis

 

[dc007]

It doesn't make much sense for the UFC though. Unless Ronda was about to retire. What would they do with Cyborg if she wins? She would then have destroyed the undefeated allure of Ronda, but wouldn't be the champ, and wouldn't have a division to fight in.

This. Why don't people understand the basic economics of this. If Cyborg wants the fight, lose the weight and fight for Ronda's title. That's the only way the UFC wants it.