UFC News: Joe Rogan Says Ronda Rousey Vs. Holly Holm ‘Isn’t Smart,’ Blames Fight On ‘Lack Of Talent’
Last week, the MMA world was shocked when the UFC announced that Ronda Rousey would be defending her bantamweight championship against Holly Holm instead of Miesha Tate at UFC 195 in January. Tate, who was promised a third fight with Rousey after her win over Jessica Eye last month, was just as shocked as everyone else was when the UFC announced that Holm would be Rousey’s next opponent.
UFC color commentator Joe Rogan was also shocked when he found out that Rousey was going to be taking on Holm in January, saying on his podcast — The Joe Rogan Experience— that he doesn’t agree with the UFC’s decision to have Holm take on Rousey. However, while Rogan does disagree with the decision to book the fight, he understands that the fight is happening due to the lack of talent in the UFC women’s bantamweight division.
“I don’t agree with that fight. That Holly Holm fight. I don’t think that’s smart. I would have gone with Amanda Nunes before Holly Holm. Amanda Nunes looked like a bada** when she knocked out Sara McMann. That’s a more dangerous fighter. A more marketable fighter. [Holm] is only the best boxer in the world if Ann Wolf decides not to box.”
“Maybe Holly, because her stand-up is so much more refined, she’s been doing it for so much longer, maybe she can keep Ronda away from her. I’m serious. I just think, honestly, the real problem is that there’s a lack of talent.”
Rogan isn’t the first one who has pointed out the lack of depth in the UFC women’s bantamweight division, as former UFC heavyweight champion and current WWE wrestler Brock Lesnar appeared on ESPN’s SportsCenter last week, and while he took nothing away from Ronda Rousey’s dominance, he did say that her division is extremely weak, calling Rousey, “A man among women in a weak division.”
Some fans have thrown out the theory that the UFC booked Rousey vs. Holm so Rousey could fight, and probably defeat a high-level striker before she takes on probably the best striker in women’s MMA, Cris “Cyborg” at UFC 200 in July. Of course, “Cyborg” still isn’t officially with the UFC, but both the UFC and “Cyborg” are doing everything possible to make the fight happen next summer.
There’s also a slight chance that Miesha Tate could end up fighting Cris “Cyborg” at UFC 195 in the co-main-event. It would, of course, be a number one contender fight, where the winner would fight the winner of Rousey vs. Holm.
[Image via Fox Sports]
