UFC 190: Rousey vs. Correia - 3 things you need to know
Ronda Rousey is a force of nature: an unstoppable purveyor of violence that won't quit until she's collected every arm in the women's bantamweight division
Standing in her way at UFC 190 is undefeated Brazilian Bethe Correia, a talented, well-rounded fighter who earned her way to the front of the queue with her mouth and a pair of victories over Rousey's friends.
With that in mind, here are three things you need know about UFC 190:
Correia's beat Ole and Tully, but now she's gotta beat Flair
Running out of credible opponents for Rousey, Correia must've looked like a shining beacon for the UFC: a warm body with a compelling story line who seems more than willing to stand toe to toe with the division's resident world-destroyer.
Aside from her undefeated record, Correia defeated Jessamyn Duke and Shayna Baszler, two members of Rousey's "Four Horsewomen" stable. That makes her a more compelling adversary when trying to sell the pay-per-view in 30-second spurts on TV. Sure, beating the Four Horsewomen's equivalent of Ole Anderson or Tully Blanchard is nice, but Correia needs to topple Ric Flair before she can strap the title around her waist.
None of this even includes Correia's ill-advised suicide references regarding Rousey, an already tasteless sentiment magnified by Rousey's father's suicide when the bantamweight champion was a mere 8 years old.
That's right. This is personal, and it's gonna get violent.
A rematch a decade in the making
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira first squared off more than a decade ago during the quarterfinals of the 2005 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix, with Shogun walking away from an absolute war with a rugged unanimous decision victory.
Shogun went on to win the tournament, subsequently crafting one of the finest 205-pound careers in MMA history. Nogueira pieced together an excellent campaign of his own, though he never reached the dizzying heights enjoyed by Shogun.
Now clearly in the twilight of their respective careers, Shogun and Little Nog, both slowed and shopworn, will try to turn back the clocks and deliver another scintillating performance in the co-main event Saturday night.
Big Nog's last stand (?)
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira looks like a shell of his former self.
A legendary heavyweight known most for his skill, heart, and ability to withstand WWII, Minotauro's skills are eroding, and his once iron chin is creaky. All that's left, it seems, is his heart.
With a 2-4 record since 2010, a bout with the terrifyingly tall Stefan Struve may be Nogueira's last stand. Though he insists he's not ready for retirement, the former PRIDE and UFC heavyweight champion doesn't look like he has much tread left on his tires.
Enjoy Big Nog while you can: he's not going to be around forever.