Sara McMann driven by Olympian vs. Olympian rematch with Ronda Rousey

(This story first appeared in Friday’s USA TODAY.)

BANGOR – Sara McMann does not take kindly to losses.

Her will to win took her to an Olympic silver medal in freestyle wrestling at the 2004 Games. Now it’s driving her toward a rematch with UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey.

“I’m eager for a rematch,” McMann on Thursday told USA TODAY Sports. “There’s definitely the disappointment that I had a lot more to offer.”

McMann (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) and Rousey (10-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) first met at UFC 170. The fight didn’t last long, as a brutal knee from Rousey sent McMann crashing to the canvas and spelled the end 66 seconds into the opening round.

It was a highly anticipated title fight thanks to both having Olympic medals. But the fight ended before McMann thought she could get started, which has consumed her with the idea of a rematch.

“I’m a super competitive person,” McMann said. “Right now, I don’t even care about the title as much. I just want to fight her. If she has the title, that’s great. If she doesn’t have the title, I still want to fight her.”

Despite the loss, McMann was able to take some positives away from the first loss of her MMA career.

“I got caught, and that can happen to anybody,” she said. “It’s disappointing to get caught, but if I had gone in there and I had gotten dominated, that would be really, really hard for me. I’m working so hard, I’m pushing myself to the maximum and there’s someone that’s just better than me? I think that would be harder.”

McMann believes a second fight with Rousey would go differently than the first. But before she’s able to back up her talk, she must earn the opportunity to do so.

On Saturday, she faces UFC newcomer Lauren Murphy (8-0, 0-0) at “UFC Fight Night: Bader vs. Saint Preux,” which takes place at Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine. The 135-pound bout is on the Fox Sports 2-televised preliminary card ahead of a six-fight main card on Fox Sports 1.

McMann knows the significance of rebounding from a disappointing performance. If she hopes to move toward her goal of a rematch with Rousey, she’s in a must-win situation.

“(A victory) should push me up a lot closer to the top,” McMann said. “If people don’t want to fight me, it’s because I’m good and am worthy of a title shot. … I feel like with another win I should be right there for a rematch.”