Ronda has five fights left MAX

[Malthian]

Typically you can spot future challengers years out from fighting for the title. I saw potential in Nunes when she ko'd Julia Budd in Strikeforce and that was like five years ago. Unless there is an unknown female fighter out there who is planning on setting the world on fire and making it to a UFC title shot within the next 18 months, these new challengers just don't exist.

You do realize that Rousey beat Tate in less than a year after her first pro MMA fight? And 19 months after her amateur debut?

Rousey vs Munoz - August 6, 2010
Rousey vs Gomes - March 27, 2011
Rousey vs Tate - March 3, 2012

And Jojed won her title slightly less than 3 years after her MMA debut? Even McMann got her first title shot within her first 3 years.

Granted, Nunes took a MUCH longer road (debuted in 2008), but pretty much anyone with a world class skill set is going to rise a LOT faster than the typical fighter.

It's easily conceivable that there's multiple fighters who are going to rise very quickly to the upper levels of the sport and push aside some of the older fighters well before Rousey retires. And with Rousey demonstrating the amount of money that it's possible to earn it's definitely a possibility that other fighters in Judo, wrestling, BJJ, MT or boxing could make the transition and move quickly up the ranks.

What I'm waiting for is what's going to happen after the 2016 Olympics. There's a ton of top tier amateur athletes that are considering MMA. Kayla Harrison has discussed the possibility of entering MMA after she finishes her next Olympic run and I doubt she's the only one who's considering it.

Legitimate contenders can appear a LOT faster in WMMA.

 

[Meathead Jock]

You do realize that Rousey beat Tate in less than a year after her first pro MMA fight? And 19 months after her amateur debut?

Rousey vs Munoz - August 6, 2010
Rousey vs Gomes - March 27, 2011
Rousey vs Tate - March 3, 2012

And Jojed won her title slightly less than 3 years after her MMA debut? Even McMann got her first title shot within her first 3 years.

Granted, Nunes took a MUCH longer road (debuted in 2008), but pretty much anyone with a world class skill set is going to rise a LOT faster than the typical fighter.

It's easily conceivable that there's multiple fighters who are going to rise very quickly to the upper levels of the sport and push aside some of the older fighters well before Rousey retires. And with Rousey demonstrating the amount of money that it's possible to earn it's definitely a possibility that other fighters in Judo, wrestling, BJJ, MT or boxing could make the transition and move quickly up the ranks.

What I'm waiting for is what's going to happen after the 2016 Olympics. There's a ton of top tier amateur athletes that are considering MMA. Kayla Harrison has discussed the possibility of entering MMA after she finishes her next Olympic run and I doubt she's the only one who's considering it.

Legitimate contenders can appear a LOT faster in WMMA.

Good post and agree'd. Also excited to see who joins MMA and WMMA after the next olympic run. Bellator has 3 of them signed up already to start competing after, curious who else will join the movement.

 

[yermajesty]

If Ronda doesn't fight Cyborg for the money alone, then I don't know.

 

[SocraticMethod]

Holm
Tate (joke rematch but they can sell it)
Cyborg (might never happen)
Nunes (puncher's chance)
Pena (being generous with this one)

Looking at the current roster and prospects outside of the UFC - which there are virtually none of - I can't think of anyone else they could even hype as a contender (maybe Pannie Kianzad cuz she's undefeated).

This may be Ronda's least year in MMA (2016).

Cat could get into a rematch and Eye could end up getting a shot with a couple wins at most since they like to market pretty girls.

 

[Lucifer Alpha]

What I'm waiting for is what's going to happen after the 2016 Olympics. There's a ton of top tier amateur athletes that are considering MMA. Kayla Harrison has discussed the possibility of entering MMA after she finishes her next Olympic run and I doubt she's the only one who's considering it.

Randi Miller was a bronze medalist and she looked fucking terrible in her MMA debut and quit after one fight. McMann fought for a title but is really not that good when you consider the fact that she arguably lost to Shayna Baszler. Kayla Harrison could be good or she could be bad. I am not getting my hopes up just because of her credentials, and even then, she would have to be fast tracked at the speed of light to ameliorate this current dearth of challengers, and would ultimately be crushed because she was too green.

and would Kayla even fight at 135? She competes at like 170.

 

[Reaver]

There are still a few upcoming career moves left for Rousey.

Early Retirement -- better buy the PPV, you'll be seeing the last ever fight of a legendary champ!

Return from Retirement -- legendary champ couldn't stay away...but has the time away affected her skills?????

Finally Loses a Fight -- the champ goes down! Is this the end of an era?????

Redemption/Revenge -- the champ went back to basics and trained harder than ever...but does she have enough left for the surging NewChampXYZ????

 

[runnpray]

Holm
Tate (joke rematch but they can sell it)
Cyborg (might never happen)
Nunes (puncher's chance)
Pena (being generous with this one)

Looking at the current roster and prospects outside of the UFC - which there are virtually none of - I can't think of anyone else they could even hype as a contender (maybe Pannie Kianzad cuz she's undefeated).

This may be Ronda's least year in MMA (2016).

Ronda has more fights left in the tank than Cain. Think about that.

 

[Malthian]

Randi Miller was a bronze medalist and she looked fucking terrible in her MMA debut and quit after one fight. McMann fought for a title but is really not that good when you consider the fact that she arguably lost to Shayna Baszler. Kayla Harrison could be good or she could be bad. I am not getting my hopes up just because of her credentials, and even then, she would have to be fast tracked at the speed of light to ameliorate this current dearth of challengers, and would ultimately be crushed because she was too green.

and would Kayla even fight at 135? She competes at like 170.

There's no telling how a specific athlete will do once they change to MMA. Edith Bosch tried it in the gym and decided that she didn't enjoy it.

It still doesn't change my core point which is that the speed of a top tier athlete in terms of rising through the ranks may be a LOT faster than you're anticipating. Some of these athletes may already be practicing BJJ, Judo, MT or even going to MMA gyms as personal passions.

In other words, the next contender may not need the long lead up like a Nunes, Tate or Zingano.

 

[ghostmann]

She's beaten nobody but cans and lost to Liz Carmouche. That doesn't inspire confidence.

Surface analysis and completely inaccurate. Most of those early fights are very experienced opponents. Just because their complete records are not on sherdog doesn't mean they are not. Valentina's real MMA record is 12-1 in MMA 9-1 on sherdog. The Loss to Carmouche happened due to cut that happened at end of 1st round from questionable kick that took place while Valentina was applying leg lock. Doctor stopped it. Before the cut, Valentina controlled every aspect of that fight. Striking, take downs, GNP, and Submission attempts. She is also way stronger than Carmouche.

Valentina is a very complete and dangerous fighter. She just won her 17th consecutive World Title at the Royal World Cup in Bangkok this past weekend. She had 4 fights in 10 days and KO'd the same girl she fought at LK3 in the first round.

In the last year she has had 14 fights and won all of them. She also won the first professional women's same day grand prix where she had 3 fights and KO'd her opponent in the finals. 9-1 MMA (official) and 56-1 in professional Muay Thai/K-1 and only loss was due to DQ that took place in China. 2-0 in Professional Boxing. Combined professional record is 67-2 and has never been actually been "beaten" by another athlete. Her most dangerous weapon is her mind. She has over 500 combined combat sport fights.

She has 5 master of sport titles.

World Wide she has a large following.

Dana White did not go to the Golden Nugget to see her specifically for his health at her last scheduled MMA fight for Legacy that got cancelled. When she goes in everyone will know her. If you want a women with the mental game to stand in front of Rousey, then this is the girl.

 

[LostMyBlackBelt]

Kind of like her fight with bethe?

Pe

 

[Rizzo]

Holm
Tate (joke rematch but they can sell it)
Cyborg (might never happen)
Nunes (puncher's chance)
Pena (being generous with this one)

Looking at the current roster and prospects outside of the UFC - which there are virtually none of - I can't think of anyone else they could even hype as a contender (maybe Pannie Kianzad cuz she's undefeated).

This may be Ronda's least year in MMA (2016).

Let me ask you this....did you think Jon Jones would be hyped as a contender 18 months after January 30th 2009?

Thats the thing about contenders, they tend to come out of nowhere sometimes.

 

[ilfirin]

I think that's probably a fairly accurate assessment of the situation. Could be one or two fights that turn out differently, but I doubt she'll fight more than 5 times more.

 

[PrinceOfPain]

They had her fight Bethe.
She's got as many fights as she's willing to take.

 

[curryjunkie]

Typically you can spot future challengers years out from fighting for the title. I saw potential in Nunes when she ko'd Julia Budd in Strikeforce and that was like five years ago. Unless there is an unknown female fighter out there who is planning on setting the world on fire and making it to a UFC title shot within the next 18 months, these new challengers just don't exist.

It might look better ten years from now, but I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the next couple of years. Who the fuck is Ronda going to face that is even remotely interesting? Our standards as fight fans will be tested, if they haven't been already with Bethe.

it might take more than 18 months :icon_chee

 

[K1fan]

Ronda needs to keep fighting, despite what these white knight virgins on the forum will have you believe she isn't crazy hot, just decent, and she isn't a great actress, so when she stops fighting and her dominance starts becoming a decent memory her outside opportunities from fighting will slowly dry up.

You are richt fighting is her Bread and butterface.

 

[Lucifer Alpha]

Let me ask you this....did you think Jon Jones would be hyped as a contender 18 months after January 30th 2009?

Thats the thing about contenders, they tend to come out of nowhere sometimes.

Jones won the belt three years into his UFC career. I could at least look at the roster back in 2008 and say "hey, this undefeated fighter has potential." There is no one like that at WBW in the UFC. If this Valentina chick is as good as advertised, she needs to be in the UFC working her way toward a title shot right now, because we are already talking about rematches of rematches of fights that weren't even competitive as Ronda's next challenge. I am hyping Juliana Pena for fuck's sake. The situation is that dire.