Trying to find keys to victory for Bethe Correia against Ronda Rousey is like trying to find a way for me to beat Usain Bolt in a foot race. So much would have to happen to Bolt that it's barely worth even pondering.
For kicks, let's talk about what Correia has to do to pull off a miracle in her home country of Brazil in the main event of UFC 190.
Correia's Keys to Victory
Be Smart with Her Strikes
Correia's striking is the best aspect of her game. She lands 55 percent of her strikes. If Rousey has a weakness, it's her striking defense. She only evades or blocks 53 percent of the strikes her opponents throw.
UFC light heavyweight champion and Fox Sports analyst Daniel Cormier obviously knows a thing or two about the sport, but it's hard not to disagree more with his keys to victory for Correia. Per Fox Sports, Cormier says:
“She [Correia] needs to try to overwhelm Rousey with her striking and power. She needs to control the range of the fight.”
The worst thing Correia can do is attack with reckless abandon. We saw what that got Alexis Davis and Cat Zingano. Rousey used their aggression against them, and neither fighter lasted 20 seconds.
Correia has to be smart and judicious with her attack. Prolonging the fight would at least give us a chance to see if Rousey is as devastating late in a fight as she is early on.
Avoid the Takedown Like the Plague
Correia's takedown defense has been excellent in her career at 80 percent, but she's never faced Rousey. Avoiding the rest of the women's bantamweights' attempts at takedowns and Rousey's powerful and skillful throws are two different things.
If the fight goes to the ground, Rousey will win end it whenever she wants to put Correia out of her misery.
Rousey's Key to Victory
Don't Allow Emotion to Get the Best of Her
Rousey seems determined to make a statement against Correia, but she must guard against allowing this fight to get too emotional. You can watch the path both women have taken en route to Saturday's clash in the video below.
She's simply better in every way. Perhaps the only way this bout becomes competitive is if Rousey leaves herself open to take a shot she wouldn't normally take because she's trying to put on a show.
Even then, she's likely tough and resilient enough to recover, but there's no reason to put herself in harm's way. As long as she comes to the Octagon to take care of business, Correia won't make it past the two-minute mark in the first round.
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