The long awaited return of Ronda Rousey will happen on December 30th at UFC 207 as she takes on Amanda Nunes. Rousey has been one of the most dominant fighters in UFC history but her invincibility ended last year at UFC 193 when Holly Holm knocked her out. Rousey will have a chance to regain her Bantamweight title as he takes on current champion Nunes in the feature bout at UFC 207 in Las Vegas.
Bet on UFC odds at BookMaker.eu
Amanda Nunes +155
Ronda Rousey -180
Over/under 1.5 rounds, over +190, under -225
Odds Analysis
The wiseguys have been taking Nunes on a regular basis since this number opened as Rousey was listed as a high as a -300 favorite. This is interesting because Rousey at -300 would have been a huge bargain a year ago. She was listed at -1650 against Holm.
Rousey was consistently a big favorite before her loss to Holm. She was almost -2000 vs. Bethe Correia. She was even a big favorite against good fighters like Cat Zingano and Miesha Tate. Rousey was listed as a -600 favorite at UFC 168 in 2013.
The wiseguys obviously believe that Rousey is not the same fighter since the loss to Holm and that Nunes has the style and the power to win.
Fight Preview
The big question that will be answered in this fight is whether or not Rousey is the same fighter she was before the loss to Holm. Some people believe that the loss to Holm affected Rousey to the point where she will not be able to recover. We will find out at UFC 207.
Keep in mind that Rousey was more dominant than any other fighter in UFC history before the loss to Holm. She beat most fighters in a matter of seconds. She beat Correia in 34 seconds, she submitted Zingano in 14 seconds and she took out Alexis Davis in 16 seconds.
Nunes became the Bantamweight champion as she defeated Tate at UFC 200. Nunes realizes that she comes into this fight against Rousey as the underdog but that the fighter she saw against Holm is “the real” Rousey.
“I’m the underdog because Ronda is famous and everyone likes to talk about her and all of that,” Nunes said. “I get it. I understand it. But I’m going to win. I know it. The Ronda who fought Holly is the real Ronda. All the other opponents she had, they were [intimidated] and they made the mistake she was waiting for. It made Ronda look great and it made her a (superstar).
“But the only person who did it with a different strategy was Holly Holm and look what happened.”
Nunes will be going into this fight with the same type of strategy that worked for Holm. “Her other opponents would engage with her, but Holly worked on controlling the distance and she made Ronda work more than ever with her strategy,” Nunes said. “And then when she did that, we started to see the real Ronda Rousey. She didn’t know what to do when she lost the rhythm. She didn’t know how to adjust because she was never more than a couple of minutes in a fight. She didn’t know.”
This fight should be one in which Rousey tries to use her strength to set up an arm bar and avoid getting into a striking battle with Nunes. If that happens, Nunes is prepared.
“I think she’s going to try to use judo throws and get me on the ground, with just a little striking to get close and take this fight to the ground,” Nunes said. “But I don’t think she’s going to have a shot. She doesn’t understand the movement in striking. She’s going to be surprised when she tries to grab me.”
Betting Breakdown
Three women have held the Bantamweight title since Rousey lost to Holm and none of them have defended it successfully. Holm lost to Tate then Tate lost to Nunes. Now Nunes takes on Rousey.
Rousey is a very talented fighter and she should win this fight but Nunes is probably the best fighter Rousey has faced. If Rousey is back to her former self then she wins this fight, probably in the first round. If she has been mentally damaged beyond repair then she is in trouble against Nunes. Miesha Tate pretty much said as much.
"I feel like there's so many weird variables, it's really, really hard to say, because who knows what we're going to get out of Ronda when she comes back," Tate said. "If we're getting Ronda at the best that she's ever been, then I'd say Ronda (would win the fight).”
"So it's kind of hard to say, honestly. I really just don't know what we're going to get with Ronda. I know what we're going to get with Amanda. I just have no idea what we're going to get with Ronda."
The price on Rousey is definitely appealing at less than 2-1 and it is worth noting just how much the UFC needs Rousey to win this fight. I will take Rousey to get the win.
UFC odds: Rousey submission round 1
How to Bet
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker sportsbook! Real-time spreads, totals, props and money line are all available so start betting with BookMaker today. UFC 207 takes place on Friday, December 30 at the T-Mobile Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
