UFC 193: Bleacher Report Main Card Staff Predictions
If you're like me, sometimes you forget that Ronda Rousey is an MMA fighter.
Amid all the hoopla, her actual job becomes almost abstract. She is famous enough now that she can power her celebrity with celebrity alone. It's like the ultimate clean energy feedback loop, except instead of clean energy, it's, I don't know, TMZ pixels.
But everyone's in Melbourne, Australia, now, and there's a fight in the offing Saturday (American time) at UFC 193. Rousey will defend her title against Holly Holm, who is proven as a boxer but green like new firewood in the MMA space.
So this ought to be fun. And as it turns out, there are actually other fights on the card. It's not just Rousey vs. Holm or anything like that. In fact, there are five fights on the pay-per-view main event.
What is the nature of these fights? Who is going to win them? That's what the Bleacher Report MMA predictions team is here to determine. Craig Amos. Steven Rondina. Nathan McCarter. Jonathan Snowden. And myself, Scott Harris. Let's get it on.
Stefan Struve vs. Jared Rosholt
1 of 5
Amos
Despite owning a 5-1 UFC record, Jared Rosholt hasn't really tussled with a top-tier opponent yet. In fact, Struve represents his toughest test to date. The big Dutchman's reach and submission skills will both pose issues. Struve takes this one inside the distance.
Struve, TKO, Rd. 2
Rondina
Honestly, I don't see how this fight breaks in Struve's favor. Struve has his strengths, but they aren't wrestling or fight-ending power. Expect Rosholt to grind out a forgettable but decisive decision win.
Rosholt, unanimous decision
McCarter
This could easily be a fight where Rosholt takes Struve down repeatedly only to defend submission attempts for the entire 15 minutes. But I'll take Struve by submission after hurting Rosholt on the feet. I'm not expecting much in this fight.
Struve, submission, Rd. 2
Snowden
We've seen a wrestler take down and frustrate an otherwise superior opponent over and over again in MMA history. Add this one to the list.
Rosholt, unanimous decision
Harris
This feels like a terrible matchup for Struve and a terrible fight besides. Struve will try to use his reach to keep Rosholt at bay, but it will not be successful. The wrestler will get inside just enough to win the fight on riding time.
Rosholt, unanimous decision
Robert Whittaker vs. Uriah Hall
2 of 5
Amos
Uriah Hall is coming off the biggest win of his career, a highlight TKO victory over Gegard Mousasi. If he adds Robert Whittaker to his hit list, he'll be making some serious strides toward a title shot. His task this Saturday is far from easy, though. Whittaker has looked outstanding since jumping to 185, and he has an easier time letting his hands go than Hall does.
Whittaker, unanimous decision
Rondina
Hall is a beast, but I'm not sure his lethargic performances are a thing of the past. Even if they're not, Whittaker is capable of keeping up in a straight fight.
Whittaker, unanimous decision
McCarter
Whittaker is a good dog in this fight, and I see many folks taking him. But I'm on the Hall hype train at this point. Whittaker is going to stand and eventually get caught by something. Hall's power will be the difference in this fight.
Hall, TKO, Rd. 2
Snowden
Hall seems like exactly the kind of fighter who would win the biggest fight of his career only to lose his next bout to a guy named Robert Whittaker.
Whittaker, unanimous decision
Harris
If you have any solid theories on Hall, I'm all ears. I still can't believe he beat Mousasi. I also have a hard time believing he's a favorite here over his polar opposite, the unspectacular but generally reliable Whittaker. I want to go with the Hall knockout, but I've been hurt before. Sound the upset alarms for the better wrestler and the meat-and-potatoes striker.
Whittaker, unanimous decision
Mark Hunt vs. Antonio Silva
3 of 5
Amos
Since their epic back in 2013, both heavyweights have gone 1-2 and accrued some serious damage in the process. So as surprising as it was to see them fight for 25 minutes last time, it would be even more surprising this time. Mark Hunt will hit the button in the sequel and pull out the W.
Hunt, TKO, Rd. 3
Rondina
Hunt was gifted a draw in their first fight, but the three-round length favors him here. Even if Silva manages to survive Hunt's deadly hands, he'll come out on the bad end of a decision.
Hunt, TKO, Rd. 1
McCarter
Bigfoot is going to get wrecked. Hunt will win by vicious walkaway KO in short order.
Hunt, KO, Rd. 1
Snowden
This was an incredible fight in 2013, back when Silva was on the juice and Hunt hadn't yet dropped 40 pounds on a vegan diet.
Hunt, KO, Rd. 1
Harris
I'm no different than anyone else. I don't like the looks of the 36-year-old Silva's chin one bit, with all three of his most recent defeats coming by knockout. That's not the kind of weak point you want to bring into a fight with Mark freaking Hunt.
Hunt, KO, Rd. 2
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Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Valerie Letourneau
4 of 5
Amos
Right now it looks like defeating Joanna Jedrzejczyk in the Octagon is almost as tough as spelling Jedrzejczyk without referencing the Internet. The strawweight champion has been on fire and will have no trouble dispatching an unheralded yet tough challenger in Valerie Letourneau.
Jedrzejczyk, TKO, Rd. 2
Rondina
This is some brilliant matchmaking by the UFC, entirely because Letourneau so perfectly fits into Jedrzejczyk's strengths. Letourneau will try to grind out Jedrzejczyk. She won't succeed, and it will be all downhill from there.
Jedrzejczyk, TKO, Rd. 3
McCarter
Letourneau is tough and has a bit of pop in her strikes, but she is slow. That's going to lead to a beating at the hands of Jedrzejczyk. Letourneau's face has looked a mess after some of her UFC bouts, and those women have nothing on the champion. I'm taking Jedrzejczyk, unsurprisingly, and in the second frame.
Jedrzejczyk, TKO, Rd. 2
Snowden
Joanna Champion is one of the most exciting fighters in mixed martial arts. Letourneau lost a fight to Roxanne Modafferi and never even made it into The Ultimate Fighter house. Matchmaker Sean Shelby should be ashamed for hoisting this one on the paying public.
Jedrzejczyk, TKO, Rd. 2
Harris
There's not a lot of variety in these picks. Then again, there's not a lot of intrigue on this main card. With Rousey involved, you don't exactly have to pull out all the stops.
This won't be a super competitive fight, but it will be a fun showcase for the electrifying strawweight champ, which makes it understandable from a matchmaking perspective. Letourneau is tough, though, and I think she'll resist a stoppage. But this will be a dominant and bloody 25 minutes for the Poland native.
Jedrzejczyk, unanimous decision
Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm
5 of 5
Amos
Holm has been criticized for fighting safe since joining the UFC roster, but she is an undeniably talented competitor. In fact, she has about as good a chance of beating Rousey as anyone in the bantamweight division. That is to say, her chances are not great.
Rousey, submission, Rd. 1
Rondina
I'm not going to draw this out. Rousey. All day.
Rousey, submission, Rd. 2
McCarter
Holm has the style to prolong this fight but not to win it—not unless Rousey makes a critical error like bum-rushing in with her hands down and chin up. That's extremely unlikely. Rousey will close the distance quickly and then throw Holm around like a rag doll. The return of the armbar is upon us.
Rousey, submission, Rd. 1
Snowden
Actually, I expect Rousey will indeed charge forward with nary a single nod to science. She's done so in almost every one of her fights. Luckily, she has also proved more than capable of taking whatever an opponent can dish out. The only mystery here is how long Holm can circle before she gets dumped on her head and tapped out.
Rousey, submission, Rd. 2
Harris
I didn't like this matchup when it was announced, and I don't like it now. Holm could have been a far more viable challenger with a little more cage time and more MMA training with Jackson-Winkeljohn. Maybe she'll never be world class, but she'd be better than she is now. She's a talented and graceful fighter, but she will be bull-rushed, and she will not have an answer.
Rousey, submission, Rd. 1
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