Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Bethe Correia vs Jessamyn Duke

Here's the fight video of Bethe Correia vs Jessamyn Duke from last night's UFC show in Baltimore. The big deal about this fight is Jessamyn's height and reach advantage and also that she has been training at Ronda Rousey's camp in Los Angeles. So how would Bethe neutralize that advantage. I wasn't impressed with her win over Julie Kedzie. In the first round, Bethe used leg kicks to force Jessamyn to keep her distance and set up other things. Jessamyn never seemed to have a response for the leg kicks and she just didn't do much. Bethe won round one 10-9. A fighter has three five minute rounds to win the fight. To win the fight, the fighter needs to be proactive. If a fighter waits around like Jessamyn did in the first round, the fight will get away from her. And it sets a tone for the judges. Bethe never hurt Jessamyn. But she was busier and that was enough to win the fight. So it could be said that Jessamyn beat herself by inactivity. So trainer Edmond Tarverdyan told Jessamyn she could win the fight if she threw more jabs and followed it up. Well, she threw more jabs in round two but Bethe responded with several punches each time along with the leg kicks. Jessamyn scored a couple of takedowns but Bethe reversed the first one and got side control. She didn't do anything except show control. And she got up immediately after the second takedown. Bethe wins round two 10-9. But I guess Tarverdyan thought Jessamyn won the round and told her she could win the fight. He again told her to be busier. I don't think the takedowns were enough for Jessamyn to win the round. I didn't see anything different in round three. Bethe continued to get the best of most exchanges. And it was all set up by those leg kicks. I scored the fight 30-27 for Bethe and she won a unanimous decision. I liked her better in this fight as opposed to the Kedzie fight. She had a game plan to neutralize Jessamyn's height and reach advantage and it worked. Jessamyn's response was disappointing. She beat herself and that's the one thing a fighter wants to avoid. She needed to be more aggressive and she wasn't. There was some controversy afterwards when Bethe made The Four Horsewomen sign and indicated one down three to go. You'll see it on the video. Geez, people sure are touchy these days. Everything offends someone. I have no problem with that kind of gamesmanship because it sets up rivalries and fights. Take it easy folks. Enjoy the video!