Freeroll Fantasy Advisor: UFC 190 ‘Rousey vs. Correia’

To Rousey or not to Rousey? Kountermove.com players are hit with a difficult question at UFC 190 on Saturday in Rio de Janeiro: Is the $6,000 price tag for Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s bantamweight titleholder Ronda Rousey worth it? If you ask me, the answer is an emphatic yes.

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Back to the question: Are you going to put down that vital currency for Rousey? If you want to win, you will. Rousey is going to defend her title against Bethe Correia in style, and style means points at Kountermove. From my past experience, a winning team will need to come in at 400-plus points. Rousey will deliver at least 100. This, of course, is all based on striking, positions, submission attempts, reversals and the like. A first-round stoppage -- Rousey has 10 of them in her 11 fights -- will result in a major boost and perhaps seal your place as a winner. Of course, the $6,000 price tag will be a serious blow to your salary cap, so you’re going to need to be smart about the fighters with which you choose to round out your team.

When I first logged in to assemble my UFC 190 roster, my heart sank when I saw the asking price on Rousey. However, after I looked up and down the card, I felt confident that I could find some underdogs and evenly matched fights through which I could build a team -- a team I felt could win and a team with which I was familiar.

Thirteen fights from which to choose can be a burden, but when you’re looking for value, it becomes a godsend. Never before have I been as happy to see underdogs like Jessica Aguilar, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Stefan Struve. While I’m not confident in those particular fighters winning, I’m comfortable enough with their track records to either pencil them in or out. While I won’t give away who I picked, two of those three names are on my final roster.

With two spots remaining, I suggest you take a look at two of the more competitive fights on paper: Soa Palelei-Antonio Silva and Demian Maia-Neil Magny. Hardcore MMA fans should know all four of these gentlemen well. I believe there’s value in all of them and would look to draft one from each bout.

If you’re a bit more adventurous, you can stray from my beaten path and study some film. There are other favorites that I think can produce as many points as Rousey, but they’re going to cost a decent amount, too. A Rousey victory is about the surest bet in sports today, so I’m not going to be as bold as others.

Kountermove is an amazing way to spice up a night of fights. It requires luck, skill and knowledge. I’m certain you will find your own path. However, if you pass on Rousey, you’re making as big a mistake as one of her opponents who fails to believe the hype.