Why Holm Looked So Good Against Rousey and So Bad Against Everyone Else

[The Schmoop]

If Ronda could shoot TDs from the outside like Tate it would have made Holly's gameplan much more difficult. It's amazing how much simple skillsets can negate others.

I've been saying this for awhile. Until she develops level changing takedowns that allow her to slip under Hollys strikes that match up will always end with the same result.

 

[Pikkon]

Because Ronda thought she was a world class striker and bull rushed Holm, when she got hit her ego could not handle it so she just tried to pay her back and fought a stupid fight... srsly I have never seen a dumber display of ego.

 

[Private Whatley]

Styles make fights. Holm is a superior counter striker who shines against aggressive brawlers. Ronda is a grappling specialist and comparative striking neophyte who has to close distance in order to initiate clinch and takedown attempts; she was able to get away with this strategy because she was generally the larger, more physically strong fighter and most of her opponents hadn't achieved a level of striking necessary to exploit her openings. Conversely, Holly is probably the strongest girl in the division and her physical size and strength allowed her to shuck off most of Ronda's clinch and takedown attempts. Even last night, it was pretty apparent that she was the considerably stronger woman in the cage. I doubt that Valentina would be able to replicate Holly's success against Ronda for that very reason.

 

[The Schmoop]

Whats with the Ronda fans coming out of the wood works to bash Holly now, lol...

What amazes me is that they think shitting on holly and making her sound mediocre makes Ronda's loss to her look better.

 

[Thepaintbucket]

What amazes me is that they think shitting on holly and making her sound mediocre makes Ronda's loss to her look better.

Lol pretty much. I'm just amazed how they held a grudge this whole entire time, waiting to strike to praise Ronda.

 

[knowsitall]

This is why

 

[DCarf]

Or it's as simple as every other girl Holly has fought has better striking than Ronda.

 

[lalaland]

She didn't perform "so bad" against everyone else. She dominated Reneau and won 3 rounds against Miesha.

 

[CR0W]

Rousey had to get her takedowns from the clinch = having to try get inside Holm's range and be the one coming forward. Basically Bull vs Matador.

Tate could shoot double legs and single legs from further out and just overall had a lot more variety of options when it came to taking Holm down.

Shevchenko exposed the holes in Holm's grappling and could also very much hang on the feet due to her fantastic standup credentials.

 

[AMAZINGUFC]

Styles make flops man, just this...

 

[Rondas Pillow]

She's just trolling Ronda. Ronda will build up some confidence to come back and avenge her loss and then you'll see 100% Holm again.

 

[The Accuser]

Holly just exposed Rousey. It doesn't take much for a really one dimensional fighter to be exposed. Just somebody who is slightly broader in skill, equally or more athletic and has the right counter skill set. As you said, Holly is just that, a good counter puncher with excellent footwork and enough tdd to not get hip tossed.

Ronda was always relying on physical superiority, aggressiveness and her hip toss to armbar. Everybody knew she would get beat by somebody with a jab, distance, footwork, tdd and the fucking basics. Holly is just that. But she isn't that good in her own right (and I'm saying that as a fan - see my sig).

 

[bukofezra]

Other people have said it already...and I'll say it again, "styles make fights"...and Holly the counter striker was Ronda's cryptonite. Holly was winning against Tate before she fucked up in the end...Sheveshenko was a counter striker who was just too quick and technical for Holly. Ronda needs better coaching and training to take her to the next level.

 

[hypocalking]

TS is a clear Ronda "sad" fanboy

 

[Fan 4 life]

Holly will make people who may not be as good a striker than her look better, if she's afraid of the grappling set they have. I'm not saying she will make a bad striker look good. I'm saying Valentina may not be quite as good a striker as Holly but she is definitively a better grappler. It may be that because of this she was afraid to really let her striking go. Im also not saying Valentina is not a better striker. Just pointing out she is a very good striker but much better on the ground than Holly. Its hard to know when someone is compensating for the ground. I think for sure she made the Miesha fight harder on herself because of that. Valentina is the shot though he's bet ten the 115lb champ I think twice is undersized at 135 and still fights at the heavier weight they fought at 125 I believe. I would have to check going off of stuff I read did not see the fights. Not sure if cutting beyond 125 is hard on her or she just wanted to test the higher weight but either way not many people can do it.

 

[MechMA]

Like others said, Holm was made for neutralizing her. Rondas standup is worse than a tae bo soccer moms and has not emotional self control. Holm comes from Jacksons where all they teach is control and gameplans and shes a boxing prodigy. All she really needed was to avoid takedowns which is what she probably practiced for the most part.
With her other opponents since its more difficult because they are far more rounded and in control and dont rush her so insanely with such a big hole that she can exploit. Ronda might beat them but for Holm its more of a problem.

Ronda wobbled Holm at least once (arguably twice but I think Holm was just off balance)
And also KOd Bethe stiff... Bethe had an even fight with Pennington, who Holm barely squeezed by.
Ronda is sloppy but unlike this fictional Tai Bo mom, has a fuckton of power.

I think Ronda loses a rematch due to mental breakdown, but if we could magically mind-wipe that from Ronda I have her winning

 

[abgmma]

Holm isn't really good in chess games.

 

[Glnick]

It's just that Ronda fought girls with limited striking abilities and they were all smaller and weaker ,Holm also prepared good for that fight

 

[War Pig]

1. Holm beat Rousey who had succesfully defended her title 5 (really 7) times and totally dominated the fight.
2. Holm eked out a split decision against Pennington who had lost to the likes of Leslie Smith and Andrade.
3. Then Holm loses to Tate and Shevchenko.
4. Holm started MMA in 2011 but really picked up steam in 2013 just after the UFC accepted women and it became clear that there would be much more money in MMA than in boxing.
5. Holm trained for 2 1/2 years specifically to fight Rousey. She had a "Ronda Rousey" clause in her contract.
6. To fight Rousey, Holm had to - 1. avoid clinch takedowns, 2. avoid armbars, and 3. maintain distance and make Rousey pay a heavy price for trying to close distance.
7. She did not train to 1. defend shoot takedowns, 2. pursue aggressive striking, 3. fight southpaws, or 4. fight against Muay Thai pros.
8. Against Tate and Shevchenko she had about 2 months to prepare as compared to 2 1/2 years to prepare for Rousey.
9. It didn't help that her team was probably distracted by the Jon Jones mess just before the fight.

I agree with all of this but also want to add Ronda wasn't mentally focused leading up to the fight and Holly didn't fight the best version of Ronda.

 

[BabyBlue_Bomber]

Holm ran into a better striker and decided to striker with her.

As for the Tate fight, I actually expected her to lose, and was surprised she did as well as she did.