Ronda Rousey wins in Round 1
LOS ANGELES -- If they keep looking like this, the UFC might want to consider booking Ronda Rousey two title defenses per night instead of one.
Rousey (11-0) recorded the fastest finish of her career on Saturday, submitting Cat Zingano via straight armlock just 14 seconds into their bantamweight title fight. The bout headlined UFC 184 inside Staples Center.
It marks Rousey's fifth UFC title defense, four of which have ended in the first round. Her past three title defenses have lasted 66, 16 and 14 seconds.
In a wild sequence, Zingano (9-1) rushed Rousey on the opening bell, sprinting into a flying knee attempt. Rousey basically caught Zingano midair, threw her to the floor during the ensuing scramble and jumped into the straight right armlock. She did so in a single, fluid motion -- stepping over Zingano's head as she turtled in an effort to stand.
Referee John McCarthy stepped in quickly, as Zingano tapped instantly from the hold.
"We were actually suspecting she might do something flying at me right away," Rousey said. "I've actually been working on that behind arm armbar. Not from that angle, but hey, it works."
The finish sets a new UFC record for fastest ever in a title fight, just besting former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski's 15-second knockout over Paul Buentello at UFC 55.
A shell-shocked Zingano, who was originally supposed to fight Rousey in late 2013 but was forced out of the matchup due to a knee injury, had difficulty expressing her immediate thoughts.
"I want to do it again," Zingano said. "I just, f---. She did it. She did a great job. I want to do it again."
Fighting out of Glendale Fighting Club in Southern California, Rousey had the Los Angeles crowd firmly on her side heading into the bout. Oddsmakers listed her as high as a 9-to-1 betting favorite.
"Cat went for the kill, and it's always exciting to be in fights like that," Edmond Tarverdyan, Rousey's trainer, said. "Whether it's 10 seconds, five seconds or a minute, it doesn't matter. People don't want to see boring fights. She finishes fights. People want to see finishes and she did it."
The former U.S. Olympic medalist in judo finished eight fights via armbar but has evolved into a multithreat within the past year, scoring back-to-back knockouts in 2014. She has essentially cleaned out the UFC's 135-pound female division, which was introduced in early 2013 mostly due to Rousey's popularity.
"There are very few situations when a fight goes 14 seconds and the crowd is cheering and going crazy, looking at each other with their mouths open -- and everybody knows how awesome Ronda is, but everybody was looking at each other with their mouths open because she was fighting Cat Zingano and this was going to be a tough-ass fight," UFC president Dana White said.
After the win, Rousey expressed interest in fighting either Holly Holm (8-0) or Bethe Correia (9-0). Holm is a former world champion professional boxer, while Correia has scored wins over two of Rousey's training partners in Jessamyn Duke and Shayna Baszler. Holm won her UFC debut in Saturday's co-main event, outpointing Raquel Pennington via split decision.
"I was really impressed with Holly Holm," Rousey said. "She is a world champion boxer, and I want to test myself against that caliber of striking."
Another long-term option remains in Invicta FC featherweight champion Cris "Cyborg" Justino. Justino defended her title in a 46-second knockout at Invicta FC 11 on Friday. The former Strikeforce champion has a long history with Rousey, but the fight has never materialized due to several complications.
Justino (13-1) is expected to defend her 145-pound title again on July 10 in Las Vegas against an opponent to be determined. According to her management team, she will slowly cut weight during 2015 in an effort to make 135 pounds by the end of the year.
UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta told ESPN.com on Friday the promotion would "love" to make a bantamweight title fight between Rousey and Justino. The UFC currently does not promote a featherweight division.
"Danasays he can not make the fight at 145 or 140," Justino said. "I think nothing is impossible. I will try to make this fight happen."
Zingano, who fights out of Broomfield, Colorado, suffered the first loss of her career. She drops to 2-1 in the UFC.
"I just want to know what I need to do to get in there again," Zingano said. "Who's No. 2? I'll fight them. How do I get this again?"
