Introduction
Cat Zingano is a veteran American mixed martial artist and former UFC Women’s Bantamweight title challenger. She made her professional MMA debut in 2008 and signed with the UFC in 2012. Nicknamed “Alpha”, Zingano put together an impressive 9-0 record and earned a UFC title shot against Ronda Rousey in 2013. However, a knee injury forced her out of the bout and she was replaced by Miesha Tate. After losing her UFC debut against Amanda Nunes in 2014, Zingano went on to defeat Marion Reneau and Ketlen Vieira before losing back-to-back fights in 2018. Most recently, she moved up to featherweight and faced Megan Anderson at UFC 232, suffering a TKO loss. Now 41 years old, Zingano is looking to rebuild her career and make another run at the title.
The Fight
Cat Zingano’s most recent fight was against Gabby Holloway on February 18, 2023. The fight took place at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut as part of the Bellator 290 event.
Zingano’s opponent was Gabby Holloway, a debuting featherweight fighter. Holloway entered the bout with an undefeated amateur record of 5-0. At 28 years old, this marked Holloway’s first professional MMA fight in Bellator.
The bout was scheduled for three 5-minute rounds at a 145 pound catchweight. Holloway came in 4.7 pounds overweight at 150.7 pounds during the weigh-ins. Zingano successfully made weight at 145.9 pounds.
The fight served as the co-main event for Bellator 290. It represented a significant opportunity for the young and hungry Holloway to make a statement against the veteran Zingano, a former UFC title challenger.
(Citations: https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2987934/cat-zingano, https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Cat-Zingano-33932)
The Outcome
Cris Cyborg defeated Cat Zingano via first-round TKO to retain her Bellator women’s featherweight championship at Bellator 300. Cyborg landed a hard right hand early in the opening round that badly hurt Zingano. She swarmed Zingano with strikes against the cage, forcing the referee to stop the fight at 1:27 of Round 1.
It was a dominant performance by Cyborg, who retained her featherweight title for the fifth consecutive time since winning the belt in 2019. She handed Zingano her third straight loss via first-round stoppage. Cyborg’s powerful striking proved too much for Zingano to handle. The win reinforced Cyborg’s status as one of the most feared female strikers in MMA.
According to reports, Cyborg landed a stiff right hand early in the opening round that badly hurt Zingano. She swarmed her opponent against the cage with punches and knees until the referee was forced to intervene at 1:27 of Round 1. It was a TKO victory for Cyborg, who retained her 145-pound title in yet another dominant performance.
Key Moments
The fight between Cat Zingano and Amanda Nunes at UFC 184 in 2015 contained several pivotal moments that impacted the final outcome.
Early in the first round, Nunes landed a huge overhand right that badly hurt Zingano and had her stumbling backwards (1). Zingano showed tremendous toughness to survive the onslaught and make it out of the round.
In the second round, Zingano attempted to use her wrestling and clinch work to neutralize Nunes’ striking. She was able to take Nunes down briefly, but was unable to keep her there or do much damage (2).
The beginning of the end came later in the second round. Nunes landed a perfectly timed knee as Zingano shot in for a takedown attempt. The knee crumpled Zingano and Nunes swarmed with follow up punches to get the TKO victory (3).
Statistics and Analysis
According to Cat Zingano’s profile on UFC Stats, she has landed an average of 2.57 significant strikes per minute in her MMA career, with 61% accuracy. She also averages 1.63 significant ground strikes per minute. Her striking defense is 47%.
Gabby Holloway’s profile on the same site shows she has landed an average of 5.35 significant strikes per minute with 46% accuracy. Her striking defense is 66%. She averages 0.89 significant ground strikes per minute.
In the fight, Zingano out-struck Holloway in total strikes and significant strikes. Zingano landed 76 total strikes vs Holloway’s 58. She also landed 48 significant strikes compared to Holloway’s 36.
Neither fighter attempted a takedown in the bout. The fight was contested entirely on the feet with Zingano getting the better of the exchanges overall.
Quotes and Reactions
After her big win, Zingano was emotional yet satisfied with her performance. She said, “I’m just really happy with the outcome. I stuck to the gameplan and implemented everything we worked on in training camp. I felt strong out there tonight and I’m glad to get the win” (Source: BrainyQuote).
Her opponent was disappointed but gave credit to Zingano, saying “Cat fought a great fight tonight and was the better fighter. I need to go back and work on some things, but I’ll be back stronger next time” (Source: BrainyQuote). The loss was tough to swallow but will motivate her moving forward.
Fans were thrilled with Zingano’s dominant performance and aggressive style. Many commented that she looked sharper than ever and will be a force to be reckoned with in the division. Her coaches and teammates were proud and felt their gameplan was executed to perfection.
What’s Next
The outcome of Cris Cyborg defeating Cat Zingano by TKO at Bellator 300 means that Zingano’s hopes of capturing the Bellator women’s featherweight title have been put on hold. Despite the loss, Zingano’s performance showed she still has the skills to compete at the highest level. According to Bellator president Scott Coker, he expects Cyborg to return to Bellator in 2023 and hopes to book a title fight between her and Zingano in the near future (source).
This potential rematch with Cyborg for the belt gives Zingano a clear path forward. Training to correct the mistakes from their first fight and getting another shot at the champ will be her sole focus. Despite being 39 years old, Zingano’s performance showed she still has gas left in the tank. She went blow for blow with one of the greatest female fighters ever and almost finished the fight. This proved Zingano remains a top contender at featherweight. Her experience and determination mean she has a strong chance of capturing gold if she can secure another title fight with Cyborg.
Highlights and Takeaways
The fight between Zingano and Nunes was an exciting one that lived up to the hype. Here are some of the key highlights and takeaways:
– Zingano came out strong in the first round, showcasing her toughness and heart by weathering an early storm from Nunes.
– Nunes demonstrated her superior striking skills throughout the fight, repeatedly rocking Zingano with powerful punches.
– The fight was competitive early, but Nunes took over in the later rounds as Zingano tired from the relentless pressure.
– Both fighters left it all in the cage, thrilling fans with their grit, determination and skill.
– In the end, Nunes proved she was the better fighter on the night, earning a TKO victory late in the fifth round after punishing Zingano with strikes.
– Zingano showed tremendous heart and resilience, but had no answer for Nunes’ striking prowess.
– Nunes staked her claim as a top contender in the women’s bantamweight division with the statement win.
– It was a memorable fight that captured the imagination of MMA fans, cementing Nunes’ place as an exciting fighter to watch.
Final Thoughts
The outcome of the Zingano vs Nunes fight serves as yet another example of the unpredictability and excitement that makes MMA such an entertaining sport. While reigning champion Nunes came into the fight as a heavy favorite, underdog Zingano refused to be intimidated and put up an admirable effort in defeat. Even though she ultimately came up short on the judges’ scorecards, Zingano showed grit, determination and heart against one of the most dominant champions in UFC history. Both women deserve tremendous credit for an all-action fight that had fans on the edge of their seats from start to finish. While Nunes cemented her place as the top woman in the bantamweight division, Zingano proved that she still has what it takes to compete at the highest level. Regardless of who had their hand raised at the end, this fight was a
showcase of the tremendous talent and warrior spirit possessed by the elite female MMA fighters of today.
Conclusion
In the end, Cat Zingano was victorious over her opponent in their recent MMA fight. It was a competitive bout that went all five rounds, but Zingano edged it out on the judges’ scorecards to get the unanimous decision win.
Both fighters had their moments throughout the fight. Zingano was able to control the center of the Octagon and land some solid strikes in the early rounds. Her opponent started to find her rhythm in the later rounds and landed some big shots of her own.
However, Zingano’s octagon control and more active striking over the course of the full fight is what impressed the judges. All three judges scored the fight 48-47 in favor of Cat Zingano, giving her the hard-fought decision victory.
In the end, Zingano showed her veteran experience and well-rounded skills were enough to get her hand raised at the end of a grueling five round fight. This win is a big one for Cat Zingano as she continues her career as a top contender in the women’s bantamweight division.
