Based on the hype surrounding this weekend’s Strikeforce card, you would think that Ronda Rousey is fighting against a WWE wrestling buddy play toy in the main event. Throughout the last few weeks we have seen massive amounts of publicity for the women’s bantamweight champion, and the overall response has been good. While this practice has started off as a strong push for women’s mixed martial arts, the reality of the situation is that this is a dangerous play by Zuffa that can quickly blow up in its face.
To be clear, Rousey is the favorite heading into this bout and has earned the position. The dominance that she has shown in just over a year of professional experience is something that we have not seen since the early days of MMA. Her first true “test” against Miesha Tate turned into a true coming out show, as she bent Tate’s arm into a question mark. Now, it seems as if the media and promotional machine have all but guaranteed her a victory against former champion Sarah Kaufman this coming Saturday.
It’s true that women’s MMA benefits from the presence of the physically attractive and charismatic Rousey atop its most visible division. But as we’ve seen time and time again in MMA and professional sports as a whole, it is never a safe bet to completely overlook the underdog. This is especially true when that underdog has just one loss in her career, and is a former champion herself. While all the publicity and media attention swarms around Rousey, in order for this side of the sport to continue to grow, we should be paying just as much attention to Kaufman.
For example, it has been a recent practice for major combat sports organizations to produce an “All Access” television feature based around the main event of a high-profile contest. These features look at both fighters, and give fans an in-depth look at both athletes. However, for this event, the show is called “All Access Ronda Rousey.” Pretty self-explanatory there. While it does talk about her upcoming opponent, the name itself does a disservice to Kaufman as a contender. The smart tactic would be to use this opportunity to promote both fighters heavily. Yes, Rousey could still be the focus of the event, but to completely ignore Kaufman’s name on the marquee is a bit much.
What happens if Rousey loses? It’s true that she does have a style that is capable of beating anyone, and Kaufman’s clinch and strike style plays right into her game plan. But the way she rushes in to get the initial takedown leaves her open to Kaufman’s pinpoint striking, and all it takes is one shot to quickly change the face of a bout. If Rousey loses, does women’s MMA go back to the point it was at when Gina Carano stepped away to pursue acting? Women’s MMA fans and practitioners had better hope not, because they may have UFC President Dana White’s attention now, but there isn’t any faster way to fall out of his favor than if Rousey loses and loses badly this weekend. This opportunity should have been used to promote both fighters, in order to avoid the potential result of Zuffa having yet another champion that fans do not know or care about.
Women’s mixed martial arts fans and practitioners better hope that Rousey does not lose this weekend. The women’s aspect of the sport cannot take another setback like it faced at the end of Carano vs. Cyborg back in 2009. The outcome of the Ronda Rousey vs. Sarah Kaufman outcome is just as important as the buildup to this event.
