The Strikeforce Challengers Card held on August 12 had one of the brightest stars of women’s MMA on Showtime, 2004 and 2008 Olympian Ronda Rousey.

Ronda came out and got behind her jab, closed the distance, performed some great inside wrestling and secured a 2 on 1 position that is known in wrestling as “the Russian 2 on 1.”

She performed a great technique from judo called uchimata which came off of a beautiful irimi-kuzushi movement and transitioned quickly to the mat right into and armbar and secured the arm and you can clearly see that the arm is trapped but her opponent didn’t tap.

Sarah D’Alelio did not tap.

Her corner confirmed that she did not tap.

The video showed on the big screen showed that she did not tap.

However, Ronda said that she said, “tap, tap.”

Sarah D’Alelio said, when asked by Mauro Ranallo if she tapped, “I didn’t tap, I said “Arrrrgggghhhh.'”

Okay, pardon me for laughing here *** BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ***

Okay, I’m back.

I’ve been doing Brazilian jiu jitsu and grappling since 1998. I know, hell, everybody knows, “if you scream, you tapped!”

Those are the rules.

Those are the universal rules.

And those are the basic rules that you are given in the locker room, more or less.

But, the general public doesn’t understand that. They are programmed to believe what they see.

And unfortunately, instead of the Mixed Martial Arts community talking about how good Ronda Rousey looked in the fight – the blogoshpere, twitter-sphere, and Facebook community are arguing about a “tap” that never happened, but a submission that did.

Sarah D’Alelio screamed. She lost. The ref stopped the fight and those are the rules.

Unfortunately for Ronda, this is NOT what you want people talking about in your victory.

But it was a good win none the less, but it’s not going to have the media impact and tsunami of support to urge Dana White to give women’s MMA a second thought for the UFC unfortunately.

I have the highest amount of respect for Ronda Rousey. Hell, I know her and love her, but tonight, may have been a mistake. And it’s one that she doesn’t usually make. I’ve seen Ronda Rousey compete in Judo and I’ve NEVER seen her let somebody’s arm go….. EVER! Tonight wasn’t the night to put “nice” at the forefront. Tonight was a night to eliminate all conversations save for the quality of women’s MMA. Unfortunately, the one card with any form of controversy on it was the women’s card.

What does Strikeforce do with Ronda Rousey now?

Carano?

A rematch with D’Alelio?

or… another “middle of the roader.”

Unfortunately this didn’t really setup a great “next fight.”

But…….. with a little time and some media hype and the right spin by the top brass in Strikeforce, I think we may possibly see Carano vs. Rousey as a co-main event soon!

We can only hope!

P.S. Ronda’s mom is going to kick her @ss for letting that arm go! I know her mom and what she going to tell her is, “Sometimes, it doesn’t pay to be nice.” Tonight’s win got her the win check, but it definitely was not as lucrative as it could have been. Sometimes it just doesn’t pay to be nice.

46 thoughts on “Two-time Olympian Ronda Rousey wins in the midst of controversy”
  1. If it takes less than 25 seconds to get you caught in an armbar, the next thing you would be doing is tapping! So D’Alelio denying the fact is irrelevant. Steve Mazzagatti is a very experienced and competent Referee and I am sure that he made the right decision stopping the fight before Ronda would break her arm. As far as the Carano factor? There is none, Gina Carano may have some standing, but the minute she hits the floor she is done! Carano is an actress, not a MMA fighter. Cyborg showed everyone how good she is. The one thing that Ronda has the Cyborg didn’t is the ability to takedown on demand and finish without error on the ground.

  2. You got the timeline off a little bit Doc. She clamped the arm, and Sarah screamed. Steve Mazzagati then sat there like a deer in headlights, and Ronda had to tell him she tapped. Then he stopped it.

    From watching the replay I think it’s likely Ronda would have dislocated her elbow (or possibly break it all the way through) if she didn’t let the arm go to begin with. What you think?

    If you guys are looking to take another step up in competition I think Budd, Nunes, or Randamie would make a lot of sense. Gotta see how she’ll do if someone can keep the fight standing with her (so maybe not Randamie).

    I don’t think a fight with Sarah makes much sense. Rousey looked to be a little too much for her, even in the short amount of time they shared the cage.

  3. When she admitted she screamed, she admitted defeat.
    It’s the same as a verbal tap.
    Nunnes is a monster!

  4. A verbal tap is a tap.

    The only good thing is that she did not shatter the arm. Honestly I think if she did that it could be a setback in her career and for women’s MMA. It is easier for the public to watch a man get his arm broken. I mean that is the whole reason why women’s MMA is not as big as it should be.

  5. And if Ronda would have broken her arm she would have been screaming that she had screamed and Ronda should have let her go. Seems like there is no way that Ronda could have won without controversy. But Ronda did win and she’ll win the next one too!

    Go Ronda!!!!!

  6. I think the controversy could be good for women’s mma. Rousey looked fantastic in the fight, and the confusion may help to garner even more attention. I probably wouldn’t be googling this today if I wasn’t curious to what everyone has to say about the controversial stoppage.

  7. So we are supposed to take this article seriously? You state that “you know and love her”, in regards to Rousey, so who would expect you to write anything but an article, that is sticking up for your friend. Verbal taps are fine, where my problem lies is here; Rousey told Mazzagatti that D’Alelio verbally submitted, then he stopped the fight. When did an opponent get to decide when the fight is over? That is the controversy, even though you happily gloss over it. Not to mention the fact that Mazzagatti did the same thing in the Whitehead fight a while ago. So go ahead and write articles about how dumb we all are, all the while writing articles that are so grossly bias, that you could never expect to be taken seriously yourself, Doc.

  8. Eric, cool out. And watch your tone homeboy. I did NOT TRY to be covert. I let you know that there is most certainly bias in my writing by telling you openly and honestly my position on Ronda.

    The article is not about the reffing, about Mazzagatti or about Strikeforce. It’s about Ronda, women’s mma and her career direction and is a follow up to other pieces on here. Enjoy the read and instead of being so argumentative, look at it as an advantage of this media outlet ProMMANOW to have someone on staff who has quality relationships with many of the fighters in the game thus giving you a “biased” yet different perspective. Take care. And THIS is most certainly a forum that is open for discourse, however posts that insult that writers and the readers will not be tolerated. Thank you for your participation and we look forward to having it again but please do so respectfully.

    Take care.

  9. Steve Maz is a F*%ING MORON who should be banned from refereeing anything outside of a sandbox. When you scream you tap? WHAT? Uh no. I’d love to roll with any idiot who thinks that. I’ll have them screaming like a porn star. Maz is known for ending fights early. Dana White used to ALWAYS groan about his stopping fights early. Sarah’s arm BTW was FINE after the fight making the stoppage EVEN MORE stupid. IF Women’s MMA is going to go anywhere they need to stop coddling them like little girls. They can take it, LET THEM FIGHT!

  10. Okay, this goes under the heading of “My mom thinks I’m cool” but also under the heading of “My mom was world judo champion”. As a statistician, I am well aware that the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Or, let me put it this way, if someone can knock you down and get you in an armbar in the first 25 seconds, the odds are good that they can do it again in the next 14 1/2 minutes.

    I have known Ronda since she was born, well, I guess since before she was born. People are seriously underestimating her.

  11. Can we focus on what’s important? Ronda looked awesome in that fight, and she came across as a class-act. She thought she heard a verbal tap. I don’t fault her for looking out for the well-being of another fighter. It would be akin to a fighter refusing to follow a KO’d fighter to the ground to deliver some additional blows. The burden is on Maz to make the right call. Did he screw up? Maybe, but it is of no real import.

    And I agree that the controversy adds a little spice to a sport that has been fledgling since Carano went Hollywood and Cyborg took a sabbatical.

  12. This is the part of the Armbar game that always get’s in the way of submissions. Chokes usually are no debate, You Tap or you go unconscious. Armbars, Kneebars, Heel Hooks, What to do? Break it? Listen for the sound of verbal response? I’ll agree that D’Alelio did not look like she was injured after the fact, but more due to Adrenaline then actual pain. I will bet that her arm is hurting now, because that elbow came out. Plus the fact that she did nothing to prevent it either and it looks like a gesture of a tap before Ronda covers her hand anyway? Letting someone crank on your arm is not a submission defense for the armbar, that’s just lack of experience. Ronda hits two attempts before the Ref even stepped in. Stop the fight, don’t stop the fight D’Alelio was outclassed whether this fight lasted 25 seconds or 25 minutes.

  13. Sorry but Ronda Rousy is a pathetic fighter and will soon be exposed. She’s the Kimbo of female MMA. Judo generally does not translate well to MMA. Don’t mistake this as I’m not saying Judo isn’t useful (it obviously is) but Judo is the “Sport” form of traditional jiu jitsu. Ronda looks slow, and cannot strike. She’d last all of 3 seconds against Santos or Toughil. And if she was stupid enough to accept a fight with Miesha Tate or Coenen or even the up and coming Sara McCann she’d get taken to the ground and beaten into retirement. She has more holes in her game than an immigrant in Texas. I have no ill will toward her and think her Judo is very impressive but she’s not a fighter. She will NEVER be a champion. She doesn’t have the grit or the talent to be a major player. Watch, IF she gets a fight with one of the wrestlers (Tate, McCann for example) she will look helpless and scared on her back getting pounded. Maybe one day Rousy will get there but she’s got a very long way to go and a lot to learn. Higher level strikers aren’t so easy to jump guard on. She will get KOd if she tries that with someone like Santos.

    All that being said, I mean no disrespect to anyone particularly not to the good Dr. who I think is an example of perfection. The man is undefeated and has a PhD. He’s a model for anyone to follow. I just wish his lazy A** would fight more (J/K).

  14. You’re absolutely right, Chris. Let’s stop watching. Pack it in, gang. Nothing to see here!

  15. Mike, something tells me you are one of those annoying casual fans who just gets behind the people they like and have never even been in a wrestling match or even a karate tournament let alone an MMA fight. Stay home where it’s safe with the remote my dear. Watch some masterpiece theater and sip wine.

  16. You scream, and it is equivalent to ‘Maita’ (I surrender) in sports, but this is submission fighting, maybe its just a kiai (shout for energy) or maybe just a cry of Surprise, & Pain, but this is submission fighting, the tap should be unambiguous, or the disabling of the opponent should be evident, Rhonda should have beaten the girl over the head with her own bloody stump, then NO controversy. It is another issue whether or not D’Alelio was being dumb or trying to be coy with the idea of not tapping, if she thought she could escape, ok take a chance, but the consequences should be severe(fractured arm), if on the other hand D’Alelio was trying to game the rules by fooling Rousey into letting go the arm out of expectation of the submission, or out of sympathy for the injury, then D’Alelio should forfeit her losers purse, and go home bald for the night instead of appropriately being broken at the elbow.

  17. You got me, Chris. I’m just a casual fan. Maybe I’ll sip some wine and watch Masterpiece Theater after I interview Ronda on The Cageside Beat this week.

  18. LOLOL so you are a reporter? A person who lives life through others since they lack the talent to do ANYTHING worthwhile themselves. Gotcha. Exactly why you should shhhhh and not talk about things you know nothing of. Tell Rousy she sucks and any newbie in my gym would put her lame butt in a stretcher. Homegirls management can email me and I GUARANTEE one of the women from my gym will step up and knock her into a coma in the first round. GUARANTEED! Homegirl don’t know what a sharp elbow down her throat and a knee up her grill feels like.

  19. Chris you’re a genius. You should share your knowledge with the WORLD. LOL hahaha jk shhhh

  20. Yea edub must suck being raised as White TRASH. I feel sorry for you and your mama son. Reflect and respect homie.

  21. Yes Edub. I am glad you are able to properly note minor grammatical errors in random blog posts. Now go back to your pathetic existence and watch all the famous people do the things you wanted to when you were a kid. Sucks when the future is now and you’re not. Huh? Awe I’m sawwy.

  22. Why does Chris think Ronda is a “pathetic fighter”? How many pathetic fighters pick up a medal in the Olympics?

    Your argument is really not based in fact. It just seems to be an emotional rant, more in line with a “troll job” than anything else.

  23. Chris, you are just the cutest little thing in the world aren’t you!?! I bet you’re so hardcore. How can I be cool like you?

  24. First off if any of you dimwits read my original post I mention some TRUE MMA talent and note why and how SHE IS NOT A fighter. She won gold in Judo. JUDO is NOT fighting. Judo is a sport. Judokos get BEAT DOWN BLOODY in MMA. TO DATE there has not been one Judoko champion in MMA. IF someone says Karo Parisyan I will laugh in your face then ask you to to look at how he had the title for brief time and not even bring up his use of PEDS. I wipe the cage when a Judokas fights me.

    NExt, there are some big boyz on here with some big talk. I train and fight in LA and NY so if you want I will GLADLY invite you to my dojo or go to yours and we can roll and bang. All jokes aside I’m not a psycho and won’t hurt anyone out of animosity but I think after a minute with me you’lll want out.

    Oh and btw I’m undefeated as an amateur and train with pros. I also kno

  25. MMA is also a sport. And to say there has never been a judoka champion in MMA does not mean there will never be. we are also talking about women’s MMA where few of the women have come from a high level sports background. And Ronda has beat every “MMA fighter” so fast you haven’t had time to notice any holes in her game. And although he did not win an olympic medal, a little man by the name of Fedor Emelianenko is a judo black belt.

  26. All dick-measuring aside, why is it so wrong to be excited about an up-and-coming fighter? Is Ronda the 2nd coming? Who knows? Chris, you’re right to the extent that she doesn’t have the experience and record for us to declare her the best out there. On the other hand, she’s an exciting fighter who finishes fights (so far) and isn’t afraid to speak her mind.

    On top of that, fighters evolve their games. Of course Ronda isn’t going to Austin Powers her way to a belt.

    Women’s MMA desperately needs someone like this. Why shouldn’t we root for her?

  27. @ Mike Menninger

    If Rowdy Rousey Piper gets a shot against any of the names I quoted earlier (Tate, McCann, Cyborg) – I know the weight classes don’t all match but people switch and Rousey seems big enough to jump classes – I want to be on your show. Heres an early 2012 prediction – Sara McCann will win a title. If the future of Women’s MMA was set I’d say she’d win the Strikeforce 145. She’s the real deal and the only woman who can match Tate’s wrestling in that weight class. McCann is bigger, stronger, and faster than Tate though (not to mention Rousey or anyone else in women’s MMA not named Santos.

    @ Richard
    I apologize for telling you to “suck me.” Normally when I am bored and not clowning around comment posts, I am sucking myself off! It is not always easy, but it feels incredible.

  28. -Rousey is already a 145lber

    -Sara McCann and Tate both compete at 135, and both have said they will be at 135 for the long haul. Tate has even mentioned 125.

    -McCann is not bigger than Rousey. However, she probably would beat Tate because of the style match up. Somebody like Kauffman would be a terrible match up for her though.

  29. Bottom line:

    Rousey is a weak fighter if she gets better good for her but right now shes green and that fight stoppage was insane.

  30. Oh no, Chris is gonna come beat you up! Then come after your kids! OMG LOL HAHAAHA.

    God you’re a loser.

  31. What the fuck is going on in this comments section??! Ad hominem attacks… death threats… it’s the wild fucking west in here!

    Jack, you better come in here and clean this shit up!

  32. You are correct edub. We’re just discussing MMA here, there’s no way it should be getting this serious. I’m all about free speech but there is a line. However, I never would have learned the meaning of “ad hominem” if this didn’t happen so there is a bright side.

  33. !!! Same here, as soon as Mike sent that comment I googled it.

    Learn something new everyday.

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