Ronda Rousey is ‘completely overrated’

WHILE most of the world has lost it over the exploits of Ronda Rousey this week, sections of the fight media have provided a harsh reality check.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - JULY 31: UFC Strawweight Champion Ronda Rousey of the United States steps onto the scale during the UFC 190 Rousey v Correia weigh-in at HSBC Arena on July 31, 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

WHILE most of the world has lost it over the exploits of Ronda Rousey this week, sections of the fight media have provided a harsh reality check.

They claim the UFC superstar is completely overrated.

HOW DOES SHE RANK AMONG THE WORLD’S TOP ATHLETES?

In a cutting article, For The Win’s Chris Chase took on the task of trying to rank the UFC superstar in the hierarchy of the world’s top female athletes today. Chase’s conclusion: “Quite low.”

“It has nothing to do with her talent or her dominant position in her sport — which ... is unparalleled — it’s that said talent and dominance is happening in a sport so new that even calling it a ‘sport’ is an act of kindness,” Chase explained.

“I’ll take the 15th-ranked women’s tennis player or 10th-ranked women’s golfer or third-best 400 freestyler over Rousey, a woman who fights a few times a year against women who have no business getting into the cage with her.

“To call her opponents tomato cans is an insult to both tomatoes, cans and the guys who fought Rocky in between Rocky II and Rocky III. It’s the same as when an American football team beats France 82-0 at the American Football world championships. These aren’t fair fights. The UFC competition isn’t close to being able to handle Rousey. There’s no depth.”

Bethe Correia was no match for Ronda Rousey.

WHY THE SUDDEN HYPE?

Rousey’s star has risen dramatically over the past week, following her brutal KO of Bethe Correia in 34 seconds.

But, according to Fightland writer Jack Slack, “the world picked a strange week to grab on to Ronda Rousey and embrace her as the greatest thing since sliced bread”.

“Beating a more than 10-to-one underdog whose UFC opponents have a combined record of 1-7 in the promotion, Rousey’s performance told us absolutely nothing new,” Slack wrote.

“Smashing Cat Zingano in less time than it takes to say her name, or showing the savvy to develop her clinch striking game in order to flatten fellow Olympian, Sara McMann — now that was really something.

“Bethe Correia? Not so much. Bethe Correia had no business being in there fighting for a UFC title to begin with. She’s done nothing of note in a division which is far from stacked with talent anyway.”

Rousey’s Instagram followers have risen dramatically over the past week.

COULD SHE ACTUALLY BEAT A MAN?

Slack also weighed into the debate over whether or not Rousey was capable of defeating a man.

His conclusion: “She’d get lit up.”

“The truth is that not only is there the usual strength and athleticism divide between the male and female divisions of the sport, the technical proficiency in women’s MMA is, for now, considerably lower,” Slack added.

“Put Rousey in with a top 25 fighter in any male division and she’d get lit up. Even if she carried her same brilliance into a clinch with stronger individuals, she only has one way of getting there, running straight forwards and eating blows.”

Rousey has become a global phenomenon.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR RONDA ROUSEY?

UFC president Dana White is pushing for a megafight between Rousey and Cris “Cyborg” Justino that he believes will shatter the sport’s pay-per-view record.

White increased his original prediction from 2 million PPVs to 2.5 million, which would destroy the 1.6 million record set by Frank Mir and Brock Lesnar in 2009.

“The day that [Justino] makes the weight and does what she’s supposed to do, that fight is on,” White declared.

“She wants that fight — everybody — you think I don’t’ want that fight to happen? That fight — now I’m changing my mind on that fight — I think that fight does two-and-a-half million buys. That fight is massive.”

Originally published as Ronda Rousey is ‘completely overrated’