MILE 22 Starring Mark Wahlberg, Iko Uwais, Ronda Rousey (20% Rotten Tomatoes Score)

[FierceRedBelt]

Gina only had a couple of years in terms of a head start on Cyborg but it was enough, I think, to cement herself in the mind's of MMA fans. I remember following her for what seems like a decent amount of time before Cyborg came along and then it was like "a challenger appears."

I think that Ronda's a tragically misunderstood figure, but I understand why a lot of people don't like her.

By the time Gina started fighting I'd grown apathetic to fandom. I haven't followed a fighter since my teens but it clearly wasn't that long and Gina didn't even have that many MMA fights. It's not like she had a Jon Jones like title run or anything.

I think she was a victim of circumstance and certainly exploited but I'm not sure crosses into the realm of tragic misconception. Care to elaborate?

 

[Guestx]

For what it's worth, I was aware of both at the time and it seemed pretty likely that Carano was being sent to slaughter.

A lot of people felt that way but I didn't.

Maybe I just underestimated Cyborg but, much like with Conor today, I kept thinking that she was on the verge of getting exposed. I thought (at least hoped) that Gina would be the fighter to do that.

In what way is she misunderstood?

I think she's an incredibly insecure and embattled human being. Having grown up as she did, getting booed everywhere when she was competing in Judo, constantly treated like white trash, it doesn't surprise me that she has the attitude that she has.

When she acts like a bitch I think it's a self-protection mechanism that's been honed by a lifetime of non-acceptance.

 

[Guestx]

By the time Gina started fighting I'd grown apathetic to fandom. I haven't followed a fighter since my teens.

What's that all about?

For me, sports are only interesting when you care about the people competing.

I think she was a victim of circumstance and certainly exploited but I'm not sure crosses into the realm of tragic misconception. Care to elaborate?

See my last response to BMMA.

 

[BisexualMMA]

I think she's an incredibly insecure and embattled human being. Having grown up as she did, getting booed everywhere when she was competing in Judo, constantly treated like white trash, it doesn't surprise me that she has the attitude that she has.

When she acts like a bitch I think it's a self-protection mechanism that's been honed by a lifetime of non-acceptance.

I agree with most or all of this. But I would say that makes her unlikable and understood.

 

[Guestx]

I agree with most or all of this. But I would say that makes her unlikable and understood.

I think that understanding the root cause of her actions makes her sympathetic. I don't feel like most people understand the root cause.

 

[BisexualMMA]

I think that understanding the root cause of her actions makes her sympathetic. I don't feel like most people understand the root cause.

I get the impression most of the people on here seem to understand that her abrasive behavior stems from insecurity.

I've known numerous insecure people. Some use that as fuel to treat others badly or overstate their own value and abilities, others don't.

 

[FierceRedBelt]

A lot of people felt that way but I didn't.

Maybe I just underestimated Cyborg but, much like with Conor today, I kept thinking that she was on the verge of getting exposed. I thought (at least hoped) that Gina would be the fighter to do that.



I think she's an incredibly insecure and embattled human being. Having grown up as she did, getting booed everywhere when she was competing in Judo, constantly treated like white trash, it doesn't surprise me that she has the attitude that she has.

When she acts like a bitch I think it's a self-protection mechanism that's been honed by a lifetime of non-acceptance.

Conor's been exposed a couple of times at this point. Only thing left is for him to get starched but that doesn't mean he can't be the best at 145/155.

Of course she is but she's also a highly abrasive person who causes her own trouble. I kept up with her blog heading into the 2008 Olympics, as she was the first real chance at Olympic gold since pedro, and she bragged about going to national level tournaments (which are a joke in the US) and letting people up from pins and other douchey stuff like that. After the Olympics she did the wondering vagabond thing for a while and complained about her Home Depot gig constantly.

She's a decent smart girl but she's highly abrasive and really douchey. That's just her.

 

[Guestx]

I get the impression most of the people on here seem to understand that her abrasive behavior stems from insecurity.

I've known numerous insecure people. Some use that as fuel to treat others badly or overstate their own value and abilities, others don't.

Like I said, I think it's a matter of self-defense, at least in her mind, and not a desire to treat others badly. Intention matters.

You can only kick a dog so many times before it grows weary.

 

[Fluffernutter]

Option 1: Write a cable
Option 2: Pew Pew Pew
Option 3: Marky Mark?

 

[Guestx]

Conor's been exposed a couple of times at this point. Only thing left is for him to get starched but that doesn't mean he can't be the best at 145/155.

Of course she is but she's also a highly abrasive person who causes her own trouble. I kept up with her blog heading into the 2008 Olympics, as she was the first real chance at Olympic gold since pedro, and she bragged about going to national level tournaments (which are a joke in the US) and letting people up from pins and other douchey stuff like that. After the Olympics she did the wondering vagabond thing for a while and complained about her Home Depot gig constantly.

She's a decent smart girl but she's highly abrasive and really douchey. That's just her.

Well for whatever reason, I've never felt motivated to dislike her as others have.

I think she chases success because within its shroud is the only place she feels comfortable.

If anything, I feel bad for her.

 

[BisexualMMA]

Like I said, I think it's a matter of self-defense, at least in her mind, and not a desire to treat others badly. Intention matters.

You can only kick a dog so many times before it grows weary.

But she wasn't getting kicked when she was in the UFC. Quite the opposite.

People need to take some responsibility for how they turn out / deal with their challenges.

Sure, she's probably not a sadist. But there's a lot of ground between a sadist and someone I whose behavior I would admire.

 

[Guestx]

But she wasn't getting kicked when she was in the UFC. Quite the opposite.

People need to take some responsibility for how they turn out / deal with their challenges.

Sure, she's probably not a sadist. But there's a lot of ground between a sadist and someone I whose behavior I would admire.

I didn't say I admire her behavior, only that I find it understandable.

When she was in the UFC she was certainly treated horribly by a great many fans. I'm sure for her it felt like a betrayal.

 

[BisexualMMA]

I didn't say I admire her behavior, only that I find it understandable.

When she was in the UFC she was certainly treated horribly by fans.

Not by the majority of them until her laughable behavior after the Holly loss.

Sure, I find her behavior and its root causes understandable. But I also understand that you can have her experiences and deal with them in better ways. So...I understand it and also find much of it repellent.

 

[Guestx]

Not by the majority of them until her laughable behavior after the Holly loss.

No, I don't agree with that at all.

So many people were absolutely ELATED to see her lose to Holly. It was all so mean-spirited.

 

[j123]

No, I don't agree with that at all.

So many people were absolutely ELATED to see her lose to Holly. It was all so mean-spirited.

She took it the worse.

 

[Guestx]

She took it the worse.

She did, but the hate for her was already very much alive and well before she fought Holly.

 

[BisexualMMA]

No, I don't agree with that at all.

So many people were absolutely ELATED to see her lose to Holly. It was all so mean-spirited.

I don't know if I can recall any fighter so in need of a comeuppance.

 

[BisexualMMA]

She did, but the hate for her was already very much alive and well before she fought Holly.

I found her unlikable, as did many on here. But I would still say her critics were outnumbered by her followers. Sure, many of them dove headfirst off the hype train when it crashed, but they were still the majority at the point in time I referenced.

 

[j123]

She did, but the hate for her was already very much alive and well before she fought Holly.

It was, and the problem was she bought the hype UFC sold. Shit Its hard not to. I've had teammates who win their first couple of fights in questionable decisions and afterwards think they're the next prime-Jose Aldo. Imagine on the worldscale decimating your competitors in less than double digit seconds.

 

[Guestx]

I found her unlikable, as did many on here. But I would still say her critics were outnumbered by her followers. Sure, many of them dove headfirst off the hype train when it crashed, but they were still the majority at the point in time I referenced.

I'll just put it this way, seeing how people on this site acted toward Ronda literally made me lose hope for humanity.

It was cruel and the people doing it didn't give a shit. And there were a LOT of people doing it.

It was a genuinely eye-opening moment for me to see the way that people can be towards another human being.