MMA

#ThingsShorterThanARouseyFight: Only this story took more than 130 seconds

As this SportsCenter graphic illustrates, Ronda Rousey has much respect for her speed and efficiency.
As this SportsCenter graphic illustrates, Ronda Rousey has much respect for her speed and efficiency.
Here’s some of what ESPN’s Steve Martinez “had” – a statistical set and anecdotal assemblage of comparing Ronda Rousey’s incomparable competence:

– From the time her music hit to the time she entered the Octagon on Saturday, it was about 2 minutes and 14 seconds – or just 4 more seconds than the grand total of her last 4 fights

– 3.9 Victor Martinez home run trots (clocked at 33.08 seconds on May 6)…the 33-second home run trot by Martinez on May 6 is the slowest HR trot this season, but is still faster than the 34 seconds it took her to knock out Bethe Correia on Saturday

– Triple Crown winner American Pharoah won both the Kentucky Derby (2:03.02 or 123 seconds) and Preakness (1:58.46 or 118 seconds) in less time than Rousey’s last 4 fights, but needed an extra 16 seconds complete the Crown at the Belmont Stakes (2:26.65 or 146 seconds). Read the entire list.

Believe it or not, Steve Martinez couldn’t wait to get to work on Monday.

The Los Angeles-based senior researcher wanted to put Ronda Rousey’s most recent victory in perspective for ESPN’s Stats & Information Group (SIG).

“When I was watching the fight from home — and after I finished my post-knockout screaming and Tweeting my excitement — I thought about Rousey’s dominance and how it could be put into context,” Martinez explained. “I was off on Sunday, but couldn’t wait to start working on this idea.”

Here’s how he began his research document:

The Sports World on Rousey’s Time: 130 Seconds

Ronda Rousey’s last four fights have lasted a GRAND TOTAL of 130 seconds, or just over two minutes…In honor of this dominance, let’s take a look at some other events that you can last 130 seconds…

Steve Martinez. (Joe Faraoni/ESPN Images)
Steve Martinez
(Joe Faraoni/ESPN Images)

“I presented the idea to my bosses in the Monday morning content meeting, and they encouraged me to run with it,” Martinez said. “I just started brainstorming the most creative angles I could think of, and wanted to cover as many different sports as possible. The home run trot was the first angle I came up with, simply because I thought it would be funny. My favorite of all (besides the American Pharoah comparison) was when I timed her entrance on Saturday and it was longer than her last four fights! Once I found that, I knew I had something.”

Rousey has a sense of humor about making the most of her time.

Earlier this year, Rousey dispatched Cat Zingano in a mere 14 seconds. She visited ESPN’s Bristol, Conn. headquarters and participated in a series of 14-second challenges. Her exploits were later featured on SportsCenter.

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