This year has been the year for “fixed!” claims involving high-profile MMA bouts. There were accusations from fight fans, including Joe Rogan, that Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock at Bellator 138 was a work. One month later, Wanderlei Silva asked fans if Conor McGregor’s knockout of Chad Mendes at UFC 189 was fixed, now we can add one more bout to this list.
Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm ended with Holm beating up Rousey before ending everything with a head kick knockout just under a minute into round 2. It marked the end of Rousey’s unbeaten MMA record, as well as her time as UFC women’s bantamweight champion. Taz, a former pro wrestler who starred in ECW and WWF (before it became WWE), wasn’t buying this fight being on the level. On his CBS Radio program entitled “The Taz Show: Bodyslams and Beyond”, he flat out said that the fight was fixed, and went into detail on why and how it happened: (Via CBS Local Sports)
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“Why are some people not seeing this? This has been done in the wrestling industry for years. A guy or girl is going to take a break or go away, or has an injury that they have to tend to, whatever the reasons are, and they’re a champion – you take the championship off of them. You do not want your champion sitting home or making a movie, ‘Roadhouse 2′ or whatever Rousey’s going to do, or whatever Rousey’s going to do, or just needs a personal break, which she’s earned. This girl’s earned it. But you don’t want that person sitting home for five, six, seven months with that championship. IT’S BAD FOR BUSINESS! TAKE THE BELT OFF HER!”
“If you look at the actual K.O. – now, she did get nailed, Rousey, with several shots before the finish of the fight. Nothing that was like ‘oh my god,’ but she got popped a few times. But if you look at the actual knockout, as Rousey, she went for kind of a lazy punch or something – not lazy but she kind of missed – and as she spun to turn around her back was kind of turned to Holm. And as she slowly turned, a high round kick, I believe it was the left foot, or left leg of Holm, catches Rousey, drops Rousey, and then Holm grounds and pounds for three shots – boom, boom, boom. Ref gets in the middle, fight’s over, new champion Holly Holm.
Taz later added that the only person he’s sure was in on the fix was Rousey.
“I’m telling you right now, that whole series, was the work. And I’m not sure who was in on it and who wasn’t but I know this much: the ref probably wasn’t in on it. Maybe he was I don’t know. Rousey was in on it – and again, this is all my opinion. Holm might not have been in on it.”
Aaaand I think we will leave it at that.
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