Smackdowning down the boundaries of the ring: Women’s Boxing and MMA!

Ronda Rousey vs. Miescha Tate, March 3, 2012, Credit: Greg Bartram/US Presswire

Saturday night, Strikeforce aired a fabulous night of MMA bouts on Showtime that included Ronda Rousey’s (5-0) stunning take down of women’s bantamweight title holder Miesha Tate (12-2) with an armbar submission 4:27 into the first round.  In Rousey’s crowning as the new MMA bantamweight champion, heads are turning because of the high caliber of the effort both of these women put into the fight, but the “chops” they brought with them.  Rousey is a an Olympic Bronze Medalist in Judo, and Tate has been a sure-fire crowd pleaser since entering the ring.  Sarah Kaufman’s efforts against Alexis Davis were also hailed as “good” MMA.

So here’s the question: Where is women’s boxing in all of this?

Don’t get me wrong, it is FABULOUS to see MMA being promoted and aired as part of Showtime’s Strikeforce franchise and equally fabulous to read the positive press. David Casitlllo’s piece in The Bloody Elbow.com is a case in point, entitled Strikeforce Tate vs. Rousey Results: Why Women’s MMA Belongs In The Ring, includes the statement, “Rousey just “gets” MMA. There’s a brilliance to her game that reveals itself in the way she transitions. In understanding that each shift from one phase to the next is an opportunity. And that a takedown can be a sequence rather than a precession.”

What we are not seeing is the willingness of Showtime, HBO and ESPN to air these elite female fighters on their boxing shows.  It’s not as if the caliber of fighting isn’t there!  Flash back to the incredible displays of boxing prowess at the women’s Olympic Team Trials for one, but more importantly, take a look at the professional women who box their hearts out for a pittance, grateful for the opportunity to box at all nevermind a chance at a video stream.

Amanda "The Real Deal" Serrano and Ela "Bam Bam" Nunez after "fight of the year" contender

And if you’re looking for a case in point, look no further than undefeated IBF female super featherweight title holder Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano’s (14-0-1, 9-KOs) February 17th effort against Ela ‘Bam Bam’ Nunez (11-13-2) in an eight round co-main event non-title bout in Chicago. Boxing websites such as Philboxing.com are calling the battle an early contender for “fight of the year” status, but otherwise, it’s not as if the offers are pouring in to Serrano who puts on that caliber of fight EVERY TIME she enters the ring.

The fight was streamed live and for free on 360boxing.com, and for those lucky enough to watch the fight, it was a boxing treat albeit, within the parameters of a video stream with lagging images and breakups.  Imagine how much better and more exciting it would have been if it had also been promoted on Showtime?

So again, what’s the deal?  How about putting women’s MMA and Women’s Boxing on the airways!  And P. S., female boxers are VERY capable of fighting three-minute rounds!

In case you missed it, here’s the Serrano v. Nunez February 17, 2012 fight.  You be the judge.