Ronda Rousey v Holly Holm UFC bout made me feel sick, writes Phil Rothfield

SEEING two women violently belting each other is not my idea of sport, writes PHIL ROTHFIELD as he reviews UFC 193 and the rest of the weekend’s action.

Daily Telegraph Sport Columnist Phil Rothfield

OUTSIDE of the rugby league season there hasn’t been a lot to cheer about in weekend sport.

Especially since the summer of cricket started and quickly became such a snoozefest.

Even Dave Warner’s magnificent batting — against a popgun Kiwi attack — hasn’t been enough to keep armchair fans switched on to Channel 9 for what used to be must-watch television

Here’s an armchair review of the weekend’s sporting action.

UFC193: 1/10

Seeing two women violently belting the crap out of each other is not my idea of sport.

On Sunday 60,000 bloodthirsty fans packed into Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium and got what they paid for. Blood and thunder.

Millions more watched it on pay television around the world.

Holly Holm stopped the ­previously unbeatable Ronda Rousey with a left kick to the head followed by three rights to a semiconscious opponent on the canvas before the referee stepped in.

Holly Holm strikes Ronda Rousey during UFC 193 at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne.

This “contest” had everything — kicking, punching, kneeing, elbowing and stomping.

I normally enjoy women’s sport. Outside of the NRL grand final, the best contest I’ve seen all year was the heart-stopping netball grand final between the Swifts and Firebirds in Brisbane.

The best sports story of the year was Michelle Payne ­brilliantly winning the Melbourne Cup.

But Sunday’s fight made me feel sick. The same as the last time I watched UFC two years ago.

The main support bout was just as bad. The battered face and puffed eyes of Valerie Letourneau after five brutal rounds with Joanna Jedrzejczyk said it all. I’m glad the main fight didn’t last much longer than the one round.

It was a relief to flick back to Channel 9 for the cricket. It might have been boring but at least I could invite the wife and kids back into the lounge room.

CRICKET TEST: 4/10  

I love seeing Australia winning as much as anyone but I’m not interested in watching Test cricket when the result is so obvious from the opening session.

This series is so boring.

It always is unless we have England, South Africa or India playing in our summer of cricket.

Dave Warner played his greatest Test innings (253) but he was only up against a popgun New Zealand attack that wouldn’t trouble most of the Sheffield Shield sides.

Warner now has a Test batting average of 52 and we’re comparing him alongside the all-time greats.

I find this difficult to accept considering the standard of opening bowlers old champions like Matthew Hayden, Mark Taylor, Michael Slater, Justin Langer, Bob Simpson and Bill Lawry had to face.

Facing the fearsome old West Indies fast bowlers and the likes of Imran Khan and Wasim Akram was a far more difficult assignment than the current Kiwi attack.

The only saving grace in this series is watching Warner and Kiwi batsman Kane Williamson.

Even Channel 9’s coverage is not what it used to be without Richie, Tony Greig and Bill Lawry. Test cricket is facing its biggest challenges over the next few years. It’s why next week’s historic night Test in Adelaide is such an important occasion.

David Warner launches a six against New Zealand at the WACA ground in Perth.

BIG BLUE: 8.5/10 

Watching an A-League ­soccer game ahead of a cricket Test is something I never thought I’d do.

Sydney FC against archrivals Melbourne Victory was the best and most exciting contest of the weekend. Spectacular end-to-end action from start to finish. Great edge-of-your-seat television.

There was wonderful commentary on Fox Sports from Simon Hill and Andy Harper for the grand final rematch.

Victory won by two goals in a game of high quality that could have gone either way until Besart Berisha slammed home his second goal in injury time.

Colleague Tom Smithies described it as an epic, and I agree.

It had the intensity of an EPL game and again showed the incredible improvement in ­soccer in this country through the A-League.

It’s just a shame ­Sydney’s appalling weather kept the fans away.

Sydney FC led for much of the first half but couldn’t convert opportunities later in the game. Still, they gave it their best shot.

The thing I love about televised soccer is that we get to see the passion of the sideline coaches. Graham Arnold and Kevin Muscat were as much a part of the show as the players.

It’s a shame only Ricky Stuart coaches from the sideline in rugby league.

Melbourne Victory v Sydney FC was the best and most exciting contest of the weekend.

POMS v KIWIS: 7.5/10 

This was a fantastic game of rugby league and well worth sitting up until 1.45am to watch.

The Poms showed they are going to be awfully hard to beat at the 2017 World Cup when they add Sam and George Burgess to the side that beat the Kiwis 20-14 at Wigan.

Again, this game stood out because it was a magnificent contest. You couldn’t go to bed because you had no idea who was going to win, especially the way the Kiwis fought back in the dying moments.

And the best thing about the game was having only one referee. Fewer stoppages, fewer penalties and more football. If only the NRL would do the same.

This game also showed that Australia’s Kangaroos are no longer a stand-alone dominance on the international stage and on any day the Kiwis or Poms can beat them.

England showed they are going to be awfully hard to beat at the 2017 World Cup.

Both sides scored three tries but the goal­kicking of St George Illawarra five-eighth ­Gareth Widdop proved the difference.

Unlike a lot of NRL games in which there is too much em­phasis on mistake-free football, these two teams used the ball at every opportunity.

In fairness, the Kiwis were missing Shaun Johnson, Jason Taumalolo, Kieran Foran and Simon Mannering and would have been much harder to beat with the awesome foursome.

Originally published as Ronda Rousey v Holly Holm UFC bout made me feel sick, writes Phil Rothfield