Cat Zingano on Ronda Rousey loss: Planned on 'fist fight, not being done' in 14 seconds

Cat Zingano

LOS ANGELES – Following a quick and crushing loss to UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, Cat Zingano struggled to put the performance into words. But UFC President Dana White had some encouraging words of his own.

In Saturday’s UFC 184 pay-per-view headliner at Los Angeles’ Staples Center, Zingano (9-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) rushed Rousey (11-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) but quickly found herself in a scramble and then a fight-ending straight armbar.

All told, it took the dominant Rousey a whopping 14 seconds to get the tap-out and notch her fifth consecutive title defense (watch the Rousey vs. Zingano video highlights).

For Zingano, a sizable underdog but still one of Rousey’s most credible opponents, it happened in a flash.

“It was a knee, then a throw, then a scramble, and then my arm was – she was wrapped around my arm,” Zingano said. “I don’t know. I got caught. I was ready to do a million different things. I planned on getting in a fist fight tonight, not being done in 15 seconds. I don’t know. I don’t know what to say. I got caught. I’m a better fighter for it.”

Zingano, who suffered her first career loss, was clearly dejected – perhaps still in a bit of disbelief – as she arrived at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. But with her first question, her answer made it clear she wants a do-over.

Thankfully for her, it sounds like her road to a rematch won’t be too difficult.

“She’s really good, but that wouldn’t happen again,” Zingano, 32, told MMAjunkie. “I just want to know what I need to do to get in there again. Who’s No. 2? I’ll fight them. I’ll get back. How do I get this again?”

White then offered some words of encouragement for a fighter who’s faced no shortage of adversity, including her husband’s suicide in 2014 and a serious knee injury that required multiple surgeries, on her way to a title shot.

“We’ll make it happen,” White said while looking at Zingano. “I need fights. We’ll get it done – whenever you’re ready.”

White, in fact, said the primary reason UFC 184’s outcome was such a shock was because Rousey was facing Zingano. Rousey’s dominant run has drawn comparisons to Mike Tyson’s heyday, but against Zingano, many – including White – expected to see a real challenge.

“There are very few situations where a fight goes 14 seconds and the crowd is cheering and going crazy,” White said. “Everyone was 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. This was going to be a tough-ass fight.”

Instead, it was a quick, dominant and skillful performance that fit neatly into a Vine-length clip.

Despite the setback – one that will surely be part of Rousey’s increasingly impressive highlight reel – Zingano is determined she’ll eventually have the belt wrapped around her waist. It just might take a little time.

“Some things in life, you don’t get them the first shot,” she said. “Some things take a few times. Some things take whatever. But as long as you keep trying, and until you get it and figure it out – and crap, it’s not always the easy road. I don’t often get to take the easy road, but I find my way around.”

For complete coverage of UFC 184, check out the UFC Events section of the site.