Watch highlights from Holly Holm win over Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 in Australia.
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Holm, a former undisputed welterweight boxing champion, said the moment of her UFC title victory was “one of those moments that you live for”.
Rousey (12-0) has been in zero danger during her fighting career, finishing the majority of opponents quickly and by submission.
Holm completely outclassed Rousey on the feet in the first round, She proved that Rousey was a mere mortal by causing Rousey to bleed a little from her mouth due to continuous punches to the head.
Holm easily won Round 1, bloodying Rousey’s face with stiff left hands and oblique leg-kicks that slashed through her opponent’s fearsome, furious frontal attacks.
In arguably the biggest upset in the history of the sport, Holm fought the flawless fight as she set the tone by circling away from Rousey throughout the first round and countering with accuracy and power.
But it was Holm’s calm confidence and the manner of her win that attracted all the attention Sunday.
I didn’t want to kick her in the body because we didn’t want her to grab on to [my leg], so we were going high and it just was there.
“I had the best coaching, from standup to grappling to wrestling”. While Rousey came in swinging wildly with punches, Holm circled from the outside and connected with a hard combination that include straight punches to the jaw.
“I don’t know! I’m trying to take it in but it’s insane!” the 34-year-old New Mexico native said through tears immediately after the fight in Melbourne, Australia.
We have a new UFC bantammweight champion. “I couldn’t tell you how many times I cried in the gym leading up to this fight”.
In the other title bout, a bloodied Joanna Jedrzejczyk outlasted Canadian Valerie Letourneau to successfully defend her straw-weight belt in a five-round slugfest. “She’s been a world champion”, he said.
Referee John Sharp stopped the fight after three minutes and 30 seconds.
Saturday’s main pay-per-view will begin at 10 p.m. Eastern Time.
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Jared Rosholt won a unanimous decision of towering Dutchman Stefan Struve in a scrappy opening heavyweight bout of the main card.
