UFC
UFC 170: Ronda Rousey says she promised her coach she'd finish Sara McMann with a body shot
Feb 23, 2014 - 12:15:04 PM UFC 170: Ronda Rousey says she promised her coach she'd finish Sara McMann with a body shot

DISCUSS ALL THIS IN OUR NEW MMATORCH FORUM

...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Ronda Rousey finished Sara McMann on Saturday night with a knee to the body that flattened the challenger, and though McMann quickly tried to regain her bearings, the initial reaction caused referee Herb Dean to step in.

Though there are certainly questions that can be levied against the stoppage from Herb Dean, nothing can be held against Rousey on that front. The Champ did what she set out to do, and said after the fight that the finish came as she promised her coach it would.

"It's extremely satisfying to win and to do it with my standup," she said on the Fox Sports 1 post-fight show. "I promised my coach I'd do it with a body shot. We knew she was a wrestler and she was going to be bent over."

Rousey said she was surprised by McMann's aggressive approach at the outset, but also added that it's why she prepares to improvise during her fights.

"I didn't expect her to come out swinging," Rousey said of McMann's approach. "I thought she was going to be more cautious. I had to adjust in the middle of the fight. That's why we don't really do game plans too much in the fights and we just make it up."

Penick's Analysis: Rousey's striking was damned impressive, and she obviously worked on delivering those knees as McMann got in close. The body was open, and she connected with several, and obviously that last one did what she needed it to do. Her improvements on the feet combined with her ground game keep her as the most dangerous fighter at 135 lbs. right now.