Ronda Rousey vs. Cat Zingano: A Full Head-to-Toe Breakdown

UFC 184 comes to the Staples Center in Los Angeles this weekend, and the women's bantamweight championship will be on the line in the main event.

Ronda Rousey (10-0) defends her crown against undefeated No. 1-ranked contender Cat Zingano (9-0).

This will be Rousey's toughest challenge to date. Zingano is a powerful, well-rounded athlete who has excellent finishing ability. Rousey's dominance casts doubt that anyone in the division can compete with her, but if there is one woman who has that chance, it is Zingano.

Where does Zingano have an advantage? Will this be another commanding performance from Rousey? Let's find out.

This is your head-to-toe breakdown of UFC 184's main event, Ronda Rousey vs. Cat Zingano.

Striking

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I have heralded Rousey's striking capabilities long before her back-to-back knockout finishes. Many disagreed simply because they had yet to see it in the cage, but what I saw in training footage and beyond told me she had developed into a formidable striker.

Rousey knocked out Alexis Davis in just 16 seconds. That is incredible. Rousey is fast with her hands. Her TKO over Sara McMann proved Rousey has more than just boxing, yet I still give the edge to Zingano in the stand-up.

The reason I side with Zingano on the feet is the combination of power and diversity. She is one of the hardest hitters in the division, but she is made more lethal by the variance in her striking attacks. She is not as fast as Rousey, but Zingano makes it count when she hits.

Rousey is an intelligent fighter who does not play around where her opponents are at their best. She will be wary of striking exchanges. It is a narrow edge that I give to Zingano.

Edge: Zingano

Grappling

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There is no way I could give this to Zingano. Rousey is an Olympic-caliber grappler and truly world class.

Zingano has some vicious knees from the clinch, but clinched up is not where she wants to be. That is Rousey's world. There is no other word to describe Rousey's grappling ability other than amazing.

When she is grappling with an opponent, you should watch her hips. She is technically proficient in each and every movement.

Zingano may want to get Rousey down at some point, but it will be exceptionally difficult. Rousey has been taken down before by the likes of Miesha Tate, but it is no easy task. Zingano will have to pick her shots and be explosive or else Rousey will get her crashing to the mat.

Rousey is the better grappler by a wide margin.

Edge: Rousey

Submissions

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This is by far the hardest area to give an edge to a fighter. Rousey's finishing ability is unparalleled but is based solely on the armbar.

In spite of Zingano's two TKO performances in the UFC, she is more known for her jiu-jitsu.

Rousey has been working on her jiu-jitsu tirelessly, but it's not to Zingano's level yet. Zingano has more submission options to work with, and that is why I give her the slight edge in this category. Will she be able to get one? That will most likely be determined by Rousey's grappling.

Rousey loves the head-and-arm throw, but it does give her opponent the opportunity to take her back. If Rousey was a lesser fighter, it would most likely not be advised she attempt the throw in the first place. That will be one mistake that Zingano may look to exploit.

If Zingano gets Rousey's back like Liz Carmouche did, Rousey will be in trouble. If Zingano gets top position on Rousey, it can be equally as daunting for the champion.

If I were asked who is more likely to win by submission, I would probably lean toward the champion based off her history, but who has the edge with a multitude of submission options under her belt? I would have to give the advantage to Zingano.

Edge: Zingano

X-Factors

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Rousey's X-Factor: Speed and Quickness

The champion will have an obvious speed advantage heading into this fight, and that can help her striking immensely. Her hand speed is phenomenal. If she can be in and out to avoid the power of Zingano, this will be a one-sided fight.

She is also quicker on the mat. This will be a big help in any potential grappling exchange and scramble.

If you have watched the NFL Scouting Combine any this past weekend, you have most likely heard the term "quicker than fast." Rousey is both. She is explosive when she needs to be and can pour it on in a blitz as well. This helps her against bigger, stronger opposition. It will play a major role this Saturday.

Zingano's X-Factor: Slow Starts

Zingano has started slow in each of her last two outings. She was nearly finished in both fights. If that happens again Saturday, you can forget about this being competitive because Rousey will end it early.

However, I am reluctant to put this label on her just yet. In her first UFC fight, she was overwhelmed by the experience. She was crying on her way to the cage. The infamous "Octagon jitters" played a role in that slow start. After the first round, Zingano was fine and dominated.

In her second fight, against Amanda Nunes, she was coming off a long layoff thanks to a major injury.

This Saturday will be the first time we see Zingano fight healthy and composed in a first round. This will tell us what kind of fighter she is in the first round. Rousey won't give her the opportunity to compose herself after the first five minutes. If she starts slow, the fight is over.

Prediction

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Zingano is the best athlete Rousey has fought to date. She is strong, powerful and a legitimate athlete. Rousey will find things to be a bit more difficult against Zingano than anyone she has fought before.

I gave Zingano the edge in striking because of her diversity in strikes and her power, but I think Rousey will win the exchanges Saturday by having a better game plan. She will show off her speed and not give Zingano a chance to counter.

Ultimately, Rousey's aggression is the reason why she wins. She will push Zingano to fight a faster fight than Alpha is used to, and when Rousey wants to, she will close the distance with ease. Once locked up with Zingano, she will send her down to the canvas.

Rousey gets another first-round finish to her credit.

The quickness that Rousey has with her transitions on the canvas will surprise Zingano. She will be locked up in an armbar before she has a chance to defend the submission. Rousey gets her arm raised again.

This may be a much closer fight than people expect, but I don't see it playing out like that. Rousey's speed and aggression dominate the fight from the outset. Zingano won't have a chance to show her skills. 

Prediction: Rousey defeats Zingano via submission (armbar) in the first round.