Pros Pick UFC 170: Rousey vs. McMann
After last week’s decision-fest at UFC Fight Night 36 in Jaragua do Sul, Brazil, the UFC will return stateside for UFC 170 this Saturday, February 22, 2014, from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Featuring a main event title bout between UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and undefeated challenger Sara McMann, the fight is being billed as “Rowdy’s” toughest challenge thanks to McMann’s Olympic wrestling pedigree.
In preparation for Rousey’s third UFC fight, MMAInterviews.tv caught up with several current MMA stars to discuss whom they thought was going to win.
UFC welterweights Mike Pyle and Jake Ellenberger, Octagon announcer and former middleweight Brian Stann, and Team Alpha Male members Urijah Faber and Joseph Benavidez weighed in with their picks. “The California Kid” gave his take on the pivotal title tilt:
“The fight with Rousey vs. McMann is a tough one to call. I think it’s going to come down to who’s the better striker because the wrestling and the Judo will probably nullify each other a bit. We’ve got two Olympic athletes; I always lean towards the edge being with the wrestler over the Judo player, but it’s all about mentality; who’s got the ability to impose their will, and I think it’s going to come down to a little bit of a striking game.”
Despite not making an actual pick, Faber raises an interesting point in noting that it should come down to the standup with two Olympic medal-winning grapplers. It just might, so it’s interesting to note that Rousey has supposedly been flooring trained boxers in training camp, and with body shots no less. That could create an interesting dynamic come fight time, as this could be Rousey’s last bout for quite some time thanks to her quickly blossoming movie career.
Will she lose the belt to the talented yet under-the-radar McMann, or will be just another day at the office for “Rowdy”?
