Ronda Rousey's Strategy to Beat Floyd Mayweather Jr.

[Forehead]

She was exaggerating and being humble. Her gameplan would be to stay at kicking range, cover up, slash in and hug him. Nobody calls her Cristiane Justino.

 

These are quick stats from Wikipedia, but Ronda Rousey's reach is 66 inches, Floyd Mayweather's is 72 inches.  I think it's pretty much a guarantee that he punches much harder than any opponent she has faced.  Stay at kicking range...that's nice, though I've barely seen her throw kicks, mostly she trades punches and then goes to the ground.  Staying at kicking range will mean Mayweather can take advantage of his much longer reach.

 

Ronda would get her face tattooed with an imprint of his gloves.  Covering up...you know, that's a tactic that has been used in boxing, covering up and letting a guy punch himself out...Ali famously did that against George Foreman.  The difference...Mayweather has a gas tank that goes on for days, and even if Rousey did cover her face, his punches would bruise the hell out of her shoulders and arms.

 

Oh, Rousey would just slash in and hug him...except that grown, in shape men rarely catch Floyd Mayweather, I'm pretty sure he could dance away from her (let's not forget the reach advantage) and continue to punish her each time she failed.  As I said before, I think you'd see her shoulders slump and she'd realize she's in over her head.

 

I've seen Floyd Mayweather seriously hurt one time, against Shane Mosley.  I'm not sure I've ever seen him seriously winded, the guy never seems to get tired.  Ronda Rousey comes into her fights with a mean face, and usually comes out like a house of fire.  Fights of hers that last a few minutes, even into a second round, I've seen her tire.  Not gas out necessarily, but she loses steam pretty quick.  I've also seen her get her head snapped back, and have to back up a few times, when she's traded punches with women who don't punch as hard as Mayweather can.

 

I like Rousey, but I'm just not seeing this.  At range, Mayweather would bust her up.  If she went for a takedown (keeping in mind she would have to get past the six inch reach advantage constantly flicking jabs into her face) and missed, she'd eat a ton of leather before she could recover.  Even if she got ahold of him, you have to account for the fact that Mayweather is much stronger than her.  Rousey's judo throws are poetry, but she's also been clearly stronger than most if not all of her opponents.  I would not be shocked, in a clinch, if Mayweather just shoved her off of him like a gnat, and repeated his jab sequence.

 

If Rousey could actually get the fight to the ground, I could see a possibility of her slapping on her armbar or some other hold, but I honestly don't believe the fight would ever get there.

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

Legs are way longer than arms. She'd try to stay outside of the jab until she'd try to clinch. Mayweather has had to be broken up from thousands of clinches. Happens all the time. The argument that he'd light her up on the way in is plausible, but I don't think he simply "shoves off" a grappler of her caliber. She tosses people in practice who are better grapplers than the novice that is Floyd. Remember, the girls she fights have been training to defend takedowns and armbars for years.

[JMS]

Legs are way longer than arms. She'd try to stay outside of the jab until she'd try to clinch. Mayweather has had to be broken up from thousands of clinches. Happens all the time. The argument that he'd light her up on the way in is plausible, but I don't think he simply "shoves off" a grappler of her caliber. She tosses people in practice who are better grapplers than the novice that is Floyd. Remember, the girls she fights have been training to defend takedowns and armbars for years.

key word being girls.

It also takes a lot more wind to throw kicks. She is not going to keep a faster stronger and more experienced fighter at distance with kicks. Kicks are expensive to throw, and they are much slower than jabs....

I also don't see her armbar working on a bigger stronger dude. Her arm bar requires her to use her legs to keep the opponent from turning into the arm bar and negating the pressure off the elbow by working the shoulder into the leverage. I don't see her being strong enough to keep Maywether from turning his body using her legs.... That works on opponents with similar strength. It wouldn't work on Mayweather who is much stronger than her.

[Forehead]

I don't think this can be overstated, what JMS is saying.  Strength does matter to some degree.  It can't completely eliminate technique, but it doesn't hurt.  When I started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, it was with the martial arts club at my school.  I was a total martial arts beginner, I had done a little wrestling previously but had never trained in any sort of joint locks, never taken karate, none of that.  I was probably about 190 pounds at the time and somewhat of a gym rat.

 

One of the guys I sparred with had taken martial arts for years, mostly striking based, but still, he had more skill than I did.  He was about my height, but much more slender, in the 150-160 pound range.  We were doing some jiu-jitsu sparring, and he pretty much took me down whenever, and would try to clamp something on me.  He didn't have the strength to bend my arm, I could pretty much hold it in place, take my time standing back up since he wasn't strong enough to hold me down, and the cycle would repeat.

 

He wasn't Royce Gracie, who would have killed me without breathing heavily, but the point remains.  Rousey, if she could get ahold of Mayweather and get through his constant jab defense, would still have to be able to overcome his superior strength to keep him down, or actually force his arm/shoulder into any sort of compromising position.  I just don't see it happening, although this lively debate makes me kind of want to see the match go down to find out.

[Predicto]

 

He wasn't Royce Gracie, who would have killed me without breathing heavily, but the point remains.  Rousey, if she could get ahold of Mayweather and get through his constant jab defense, would still have to be able to overcome his superior strength to keep him down, or actually force his arm/shoulder into any sort of compromising position.  

 

You might be right, I'm not sure of that.   It looks to me like she wraps her whole body around the arm and uses her thighs and core to do the torquing on the elbow.  As strong as Mayweather is, his one arm is not stronger than Rousey's entire thighs and core.    

 

I agree that with some training, Mayweather could keep from getting a hold of his arm in the first place and would punish her for even trying and it wouldn't be close.  Without training, I'm not as sure.   He's a fast dancer with a deadly jab, but that works in boxing precisely because boxers are not ALLOWED to just crab in and clinch.  The rules prohibit it.  So backing up and doing the stick and move is very effective, because the other guy has to stay upright and can't just dive and grab.  He has to punch.  

 

I dunno.  I think it is an interesting discussion.    

[Chew]

im all for equality and all that feel good stuff....

but id laugh if money floyd caught her ass with a slight right hook and slept her ass.....

dont judge me, im not a bad person lol. but seriously, floyd doesnt train for her kind of fighting, so same sex or not, her argument is invalid

[Predicto]

im all for equality and all that feel good stuff....

but id laugh if money floyd caught her ass with a slight right hook and slept her ass.....

dont judge me, im not a bad person lol. but seriously, floyd doesnt train for her kind of fighting, so same sex or not, her argument is invalid

 

No, that is the only reason that her argument IS valid (or may be valid).

 

She's not saying she is more of a badass than Floyd.   She's not saying she is his equal physically.   She's saying if she had to fight Floyd, she would try to do it this way and she might be able to win PRECISELY because Floyd doesn't train for her kind of fighting.  

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

key word being girls.

It also takes a lot more wind to throw kicks. She is not going to keep a faster stronger and more experienced fighter at distance with kicks. Kicks are expensive to throw, and they are much slower than jabs....

I also don't see her armbar working on a bigger stronger dude. Her arm bar requires her to use her legs to keep the opponent from turning into the arm bar and negating the pressure off the elbow by working the shoulder into the leverage. I don't see her being strong enough to keep Maywether from turning his body using her legs.... That works on opponents with similar strength. It wouldn't work on Mayweather who is much stronger than her.

Didn't say that she'd throw a kick. I said she'd stay at that distance.

Brazilian jiu jitsu was created by Helio Gracie, who was a VERY frail man. He needed to tranform the original Japanese art in order for him to overcome much stronger men. He did. For years, ground specialists would overcome huge strength disparities with a systematic, step by step process that can bypass strength altogether.

Now, ground specialists have combined their vast knowledge WITH strength and conditioning. A very scary prospect. Rickson Gracie, who is the son of Helio and the brother of Royce, was so well-conditioned that the family didn't let him fight in UFC 1. They wanted to show just how incredible the techniques were by having Royce, who was skinnier than a noodle, choke out a bunch of 6' 4" muscle freaks and powerful kickboxers. In fact, he fought boxer Art Jimmerson in UFC 1. Jimmerson wore one boxing glove on his right hand so he wouldn't hurt it throwing his jab. What happened? Royce grabbed him, took him down, and Jimmerson tapped out from simply feeling helpless. No choke or submission hold, he just felt Royce giving him no hope on getting up.

Ronda Rousey's ground game is on that level. She is trained by Rener Gracie (Royce's nephew), Gene Lebelle (the Godfather of Judo) and her mom, who was a Olympic Silver Medalist in Judo. Ronda knows the systematic, step by step process of BJJ and Judo, to the point where she can definitely overcome huge strength disparities. Meisha defended one armbar by turning in to her in such a veteran, crafty way, and the failed armbar still popped her arm out of socket for a split second. Arm was useless after that.

Forehead, there is an entire universe of difference between rolling with your karate buddy and rolling with a hardcore black belt. It's impossible to explain. The things they can do seem like magic. You all like Al Bundy, right? Who doesn't?

Many, many people had this same experience when they started.

[DM72]

Floyd isn't a knock out artist? 45 fights, 45 wins, 25 KOs when fighting MEN...Floyd would only have to hit her once. He would have such a huge advantage in speed and power it wouldn't matter if he was standing or on the mat.. He would kill her.. End of discussion.It would be like you fighting your wife or girlfriend.. The fact that she is in good fighting shape and has skills are irrelevant. Maryweather is in great shape and has great skills too. What you are left with is a grown man beating the snot out of a woman.

Thank you. Floyd would destroy her. Plus, Floyd would be in a no win situation if they were to fight anyway. Rousey needs to concentrate on beating up other women.

[DM72]

Floyd isn't a knock out artist? 45 fights, 45 wins, 25 KOs when fighting MEN...Floyd would only have to hit her once. He would have such a huge advantage in speed and power it wouldn't matter if he was standing or on the mat.. He would kill her.. End of discussion.It would be like you fighting your wife or girlfriend.. The fact that she is in good fighting shape and has skills are irrelevant. Maryweather is in great shape and has great skills too. What you are left with is a grown man beating the snot out of a woman.

Thank you. Floyd would destroy her. Plus, Floyd would be in a no win situation if they were to fight anyway. Rousey needs to concentrate on beating up other women.

JMS reminds me of the people who thought James Toney was going to knock Randy Couture out while on his back. Is that what you're saying? That if Ronda had Floyd down, he'd still knock her out with punches from the bottom? He'd be able to control her with his manliness? She's a damn wizard down there, and it's obvious you haven't the first white belt clue what that entails.Marcelo Garcia is a short, unathletic, happy-go-lucky, unassuming guy. Who happens to be the greatest jiu jitsu player on Earth. Speed and power take a very far backseat to technique and knowledge on the ground. I'm sure Ronda owns dudes in practice every day. Leverege beats strength. See Royce Gracie vs. Ken Shamrock.Floyd is not a KO artist, even if you simply look at the numbers (which is all you did). He is a defensive pointfighter who has gotten most of his KOs after an accumulation of strikes late in fights. Sure, he could land a shot, but I'm not putting my money on a puncher's chance.Floyd is also used to standing there and having a guy try to find holes in his defense (which there aren't any). If someone does clinch, the ref breaks it apart. He'll have to pick her off when she decides to dart in and grab him. If she survives, and grabs him, I'm calling it over right there. Judo is actually a game of takedowns from the clinch (same as a boxing clinch). No question she flips decorated male wrestlers in the gym with her Judo. It's on a level nobody ever been close to in MMA. (Aside from Ogawa, but he just didn't have what it took to be a fighter).

LOL...I like how MMA fans love bringing up the Toney/Couture fight, but forget about the Mercer fight a few years ago.

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

LOL...I like how MMA fans love bringing up the Toney/Couture fight, but forget about the Mercer fight a few years ago.

That was a perfect storm, and would NOT be the norm if you put boxers in to MMA. Same thing would happen the other way around. That fight was supposed to be a boxing match right before it was changed to an MMA fight, for sanctioning reasons. Tim Sylvia still promised to stand with him. He's an overrated goofball that was champion of the weakest division in UFC history. It goes without saying that the fight is an acception to the rule.

[JMS]

Didn't say that she'd throw a kick. I said she'd stay at that distance.

How is she going to keep him at a distance being weaker, slower and less experienced and with a smaller reach?

I thought you said she would kick him and hold off the much stronger faster opponent with her kicks?

Brazilian jiu jitsu was created by Helio Gracie, who was a VERY frail man. He needed to tranform the original Japanese art in order for him to overcome much stronger men.

He used to get opponents in his gracie guard and where them out over 30, 40 minutes or more...

But the UFC doesn't let that happen because it's about as exciting as watching paint dry. That's why the Gracy started getting lit up in the UFC and stopped fighting here for several years, unless he was desperate for a paycheck. Royce Gracie's last two years of his career he had 1 draw, 1 loss and 1 win in the UFC. They don't let you grind out an opponent like you are talking about...

And the greater point is Ronda Rousey couldn't get close enough to Mayweather to take him down.. even she said that. She would bear crawl after him... IF she's not fast enough on two feet, she hasn't a prayer on all fours... and on all fours slow, crawling.. she would be even more vulnerable to him...

[Predicto]

And the greater point is Ronda Rousey couldn't get close enough to Mayweather to take him down.. even she said that. She would bear crawl after him... IF she's not fast enough on two feet, she hasn't a prayer on all fours... and on all fours slow, crawling.. she would be even more vulnerable to him...

 

No she wouldn't.   That makes no sense.

[JMS]

Thank you. Floyd would destroy her. Plus, Floyd would be in a no win situation if they were to fight anyway. Rousey needs to concentrate on beating up other women.

That's the other point I was making... Floyd fights for 45 million a pop guaranteed, and an additional 10 million as a percentage of the PPV market...... Ronda fights for 45k a fight plus bonuses.

there just aren't enough people in the world who would pay to see Floyd beat up a woman to make it worth Floyd's time.

[JMS]

No she wouldn't.   That makes no sense.

Go run the forty yard dash... then do it on your knees.. you tell me which way you are faster. You an I can deduce that the most mobile position for a human being is on two feet, not all fours because we never saw Daryl Green or Carl Lewis race on all fours.

Predicto, run this through your bat computer. I'm hitting you in the face... you decide to go into stealth mode and drop to your knees... I don't stop hitting you in the face... you decide to go into super duper stealth bear crawl mode.. ultra low profile... drop to all fours... I'm still hitting you only now in the back and side of your head, maybe I'll knee you in the head... You decide to go into your reptilian defense and lay down flat on your stomach.. Guess what, this is MMA.. I'm still hitting you in the head with my fists...

Now you being a tough guy, and me being a little passed my prime; you can take all this punishment, and tell yourself you're being hit by a little girl... Ronda Rouse would be lights out after one good hit by a near legendary opponent who's faster and stronger than her by many times... and you just took like six or seven shots using her tactics from an old man. An old man who might have to suck oxygen in the middle of rounds, but who still kicked your ass because you were on all fours letting me. Mayweather would decapitate her, even in boxing gloves he would be lethal to her.. but he wouldn't have boxing glove pillows on. He would have those MMA low profile break your face mitts. One blow anywhere on her body that part of her body stops working... shoulder, gut, chest or head... and he would hit all of them if she went into her super stealth bear crawl offensive...

Which is why the bear crawl was never popularized in medieval times when Hand to hand fighting was an art form.. because all the folks who used it died young and served as an example of what not to do when you are getting your ass kicked by a superior fighter... The most popular solution which comes down to us from antiquity... RUN AWAY!!!... Only Floyd is faster than Ronda... She turns to run.. he's in front.. boom boom... She turns to run the other way.. he's there already.... boom boom boom... All she can do is huddle in the corner as the police come to take Floyd away for beating the snot out of a woman on national TV...and the Police do it too, because that is still illegal in all fifty states.. why? because there's no challenge, no sport and no doubt who would win. That's why it's a crime to beat the snot out of a woman.

[Dr. Do Itch Big]

I think Floyd KO her.

[JMS]

That was a perfect storm, and would NOT be the norm if you put boxers in to MMA. Same thing would happen the other way around. That fight was supposed to be a boxing match right before it was changed to an MMA fight, for sanctioning reasons. Tim Sylvia still promised to stand with him. He's an overrated goofball that was champion of the weakest division in UFC history. It goes without saying that the fight is an acception to the rule.

Yes a perfect storm of a stronger faster boxer going up against an MMA champion....

9 seconds Tim Sylvia is on his back for the first time in his MMA career. Sylvia wasn't fighting a legendary boxer, Sylvia was merely fighting a ranked contender. The kind of guys Mayweather has gone 45-0 against.

Mercer's advantages over Sylvia would be less than Mayweather's advantages over Ronda...

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

How is she going to keep him at a distance being weaker, slower and less experienced and with a smaller reach?

I thought you said she would kick him and hold off the much stronger faster opponent with her kicks?

I didn't say that. All I said was she'd be at kicking distance (she'd probably be even farther). It's basic terminology you learn in the first day of kickboxing. All I'm talking about is how far away she'd stand.

He used to get opponents in his gracie guard and where them out over 30, 40 minutes or more...

But the UFC doesn't let that happen because it's about as exciting as watching paint dry. That's why the Gracy started getting lit up in the UFC and stopped fighting here for several years, unless he was desperate for a paycheck. Royce Gracie's last two years of his career he had 1 draw, 1 loss and 1 win in the UFC. They don't let you grind out an opponent like you are talking about...

Again, I did not say that grinding out stuff one time this entire convo. Your quick Wikipedia scan of Royce is embarassing and full of inaccuracies. I've been studying this stuff since my teens, so please, spare me the McDonalds crash course.

Royce had one fight that went an hour and a half because his opponent was Kazushi Sakuraba, the greatest Asian MMA fighter of all time. His expertise was jiu jitsu as well, they were mirrors of each other. It's one of the most famous matches in MMA history. They made it no time limit because the matchup was so legendary. It was a one time thing. Otherwise, Royce was not a grinder, and he wouldn't simply camp out using his guard. He won his championships choking the hell out of people.

And the greater point is Ronda Rousey couldn't get close enough to Mayweather to take him down.. even she said that. She would bear crawl after him... IF she's not fast enough on two feet, she hasn't a prayer on all fours... and on all fours slow, crawling.. she would be even more vulnerable to him...

Again, like I made clear before, she was being humble and exaggerating. Should be common sense to realize that. If she was being attacked, she'd utilize her best techniques. If they don't work, they don't work, but she isn't going to bear crawl after him. Sheesh.

It's where my "kicking distance" quote that you picked up and spun in to "I think she's going to kick him" came from. She will stand (most likely) outside of kicking range, then zip in for the clinch. It's about as easy as predicting fights gets.

Either Floyd catches her, or she gives him a Judo lesson. If you think Floyd can curl 200 lbs of tork with his elbow beyond fully-extended, I just don't know what to say.

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

Yes a perfect storm of a stronger faster boxer going up against an MMA champion....

9 seconds Tim Sylvia is on his back for the first time in his MMA career. Sylvia wasn't fighting a legendary boxer, Sylvia was merely fighting a ranked contender. The kind of guys Mayweather has gone 45-0 against.

Mercer's advantages over Sylvia would be less than Mayweather's advantages over Ronda...

Sylvia was way past his prime in that fight, as well. He was champion back in the day when all the great Heavyweights were fighting in PrideFC out of Japan. He had a suicidal gameplan and everyone knew he was screwed before the fight. Tim had nowhere near the grappling tools Ronda possesses. He's almost a joke of a fighter. Just a big oaf that overwhelmed people with size and power. The bottom line is that it's an acceptation to the rule. It's impossible to have a good MMA career simply having great fists. You might catch a fool or two, but your time will come. Fast. And often.

[JMS]

I didn't say that. All I said was she'd be at kicking distance (she'd probably be even farther). It's basic terminology you learn in the first day of kickboxing. All I'm talking about is how far away she'd stand.

Well don't keep it to yourself.. What did they teach you in kick boxing when fighting a stronger faster opponent who is more experienced than yourself. Did they really tell you, you would be controlling the distance between your opponent given those shortcomings?

Did they teach you to get on all fours and chase him around the wring as he's knocking the hell out of you?

I mean you could throw a kick or two.. maybe more before blowing all your wind and taking the KO. You can't go inside because death waits inside... You can't stay outside because you aren't fast enough to keep away from him.. You can't kick him to death, because kicking is no substitute for a good jab.. not in the long term...

So we are back to run away.... can't do that either... Do tell what did they teach you in kick boxing?

In boxing you would go for the clinch and tie him up... Only Ronda can't do that either cause she would have to take a few shots to do that and would have to have the strength to bind Mayweather. But she has the ability to do neither.. She's a punching bag is all... On two feet or on all fours, makes no difference.

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

If you put Mayweather in a k-1 kickboxing tournament, he's getting his blood splattered in to row 5. You're such a noob it hurts. Please stop.

[DM72]

Sylvia was way past his prime in that fight, as well. He was champion back in the day when all the great Heavyweights were fighting in PrideFC out of Japan. He had a suicidal gameplan and everyone knew he was screwed before the fight. Tim had nowhere near the grappling tools Ronda possesses. He's almost a joke of a fighter. Just a big oaf that overwhelmed people with size and power. The bottom line is that it's an acceptation to the rule. It's impossible to have a good MMA career simply having great fists. You might catch a fool or two, but your time will come. Fast. And often.

And James Toney was way past his prime when he fought Couture. Heck, Toney wasn't a devastating puncher in his prime.

[JMS]

Sylvia was way past his prime in that fight, as well. He was champion back in the day when all the great Heavyweights were fighting in PrideFC out of Japan. He had a suicidal gameplan and everyone knew he was screwed before the fight. Tim had nowhere near the grappling tools Ronda possesses. He's almost a joke of a fighter. Just a big oaf that overwhelmed people with size and power. The bottom line is that it's an acceptation to the rule. It's impossible to have a good MMA career simply having great fists. You might catch a fool or two, but your time will come. Fast. And often.

 

Yes Sylvia was "way past his prime" at 33 and was easy prey for the spry Mercer at 48!... Almost a joke of a fighter was the two time world champion Sylvia at 6'8" 265, having knocked out half his MMa opponents across his ongoing 13 year MMA career.. A spent shell of a fighter in 2009 who last held the MMA HW championship the year before n 2008.. Sylvia, who continues to fight 5 years removed from the Mercer fight had thrown in the towel back in 2009;  although he won 7 out of his next 8 MMA bouts after Mercer... Everybody knew Sylvia was finished.  Sylvia who had never been knocked out in his career before meeting Mercer, everybody knew he was due!!..   Sylvia who last fought a few months ago and who's 40 bouts,  30 wins,  20 ko, 4 submissions  today after having failed to win his last 4 fights.

[#98QBKiller]

LOL...I like how MMA fans love bringing up the Toney/Couture fight, but forget about the Mercer fight a few years ago.

 

 

And how boxing fans forget that Ray Mercer got choked out by Kimbo Slice who has infinitely less grappling credentials than Mercer has striking credentials.  

 

Also, MLSkins got it right earlier in the thread, Ronda was asked this on a radio show as a joke but MMA and boxing sites decided to make it into a "juicy" story. 

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

Yes Sylvia was "way past his prime" at 33 and was easy prey for the spry Mercer at 48!... Almost a joke of a fighter was the two time world champion Sylvia at 6'8" 265, having knocked out half his MMa opponents across his ongoing 13 year MMA career.. A spent shell of a fighter in 2009 who last held the MMA HW championship the year before n 2008.. Sylvia, who continues to fight 5 years removed from the Mercer fight had thrown in the towel back in 2009; although he won 7 out of his next 8 MMA bouts after Mercer... Everybody knew Sylvia was finished. Sylvia who had never been knocked out in his career before meeting Mercer, everybody knew he was due!!.. Sylvia who last fought a few months ago and who's 40 bouts, 30 wins, 20 ko, 4 submissions today after having failed to win his last 4 fights.

Like I said, when Sylvia was champion he was fighting cans. All the good fighters were in Japan. He would've never even sniffed the PrideFC belt. Randy Couture, a 6 foot tall light heavyweight, beat the living crap out of Sylvia to take his belt. This came right after Couture got knocked out cold in his LIGHT Heavyweight title bout. Should give you some perspective on the no-mans land Sylvia held the title in. Trying to convince MMA fans of how good Tim Sylvia is will get you laughed at every time.

Actually, you make a good point about the age discrepency. I should've said he was completely out of shape and was looking for a paycheck. Tim was beyond done at that point. He didn't train, drank beer and ate pastries every day, and said over and over before the fight that he wanted to box with Ray. Sylvia was a punch line before that fight, making a case for his greatness is painful to read.