UFC 157: Rousey vs. Carmouche | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Tito Wordsmith
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
UFC 157: Rousey vs. Carmouche. February 23, 2013. Honda Center, Anaheim, California. The first women’s fight in UFC history. Ronda Rousey defended the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship against Liz Carmouche by submission (armbar) at 4:49 of round one.
In the opening minute, Carmouche took Rousey’s back and locked in a neck crank that came close to finishing the champion. Carmouche could not convert and reported having Rousey’s teeth marks on her arm after the fight. Rousey recovered, returned to ground strikes, and applied the armbar that defined her pre-UFC career. The crowd, the institution, and the women’s division had arrived in the octagon.
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Quick Stats
3. The Build-Up
4. Main Event
5. Co-Main Event
6. Full Results
7. Bonuses & Awards
8. Records & Milestones
9. Legacy & Impact
10. FAQ
11. References
Quick Stats
Date: February 23, 2013
Venue: Honda Center, Anaheim, California, USA (FIRST UFC EVENT HEADLINED BY A WOMEN’S FIGHT)
Main Event: Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Liz Carmouche — UFC Women’s BW Championship — FIRST WOMEN’S FIGHT IN UFC HISTORY
Result: Rousey def. Carmouche — Sub (Armbar) — R1, 4:49; Carmouche had near-finish with neck crank; Rousey bit her arm to escape
Notable: First women’s fight in UFC; Rousey first UFC Women’s BW champion (awarded Dec 2012 from Strikeforce); Machida def. Henderson SD co-main
The Build-Up
Ronda Rousey had been the Strikeforce Women’s BW Champion and was awarded the inaugural UFC Women’s BW title at a press conference on December 6, 2012. She was 6-0 in professional MMA, with all six victories coming by first-round armbar. The UFC’s decision to open a women’s division and build it around Rousey was one of the most commercially significant roster decisions in the promotion’s history. Liz Carmouche, a US Marine Corps veteran, was 8-2 at the time.
Main Event
Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Liz Carmouche — UFC Women’s BW Championship
Rousey pressed forward immediately. Carmouche defended a takedown and reversed to take Rousey’s back, climbing high and locking in a neck crank. Carmouche’s arm was across Rousey’s mouth rather than her neck, preventing the choke from completing. Rousey bit Carmouche’s forearm. Carmouche reported finding Rousey’s teeth marks on her arm post-fight. The escape allowed Rousey to regroup. She switched to ground strikes and eventually secured the armbar that ended the fight at 4:49. It was her seventh consecutive armbar victory in professional MMA.
Co-Main Event
Lyoto Machida vs. Dan Henderson — Light Heavyweight
Machida defeated Henderson by split decision over three rounds. Henderson landed his right hand on several occasions but Machida’s karate movement kept him elusive. Two of three judges awarded Machida the win. Henderson took another close decision loss.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Michael Chiesa def. Anton Kuivanen — Submission — R? — LW
Brendan Schaub def. Lavar Johnson — TKO — R? — HW
Main Card
Court McGee def. Josh Neer — Decision — R3 — WW
Robbie Lawler def. Josh Koscheck — TKO — R? — WW
Urijah Faber def. Ivan Menjivar — Sub (Guillotine) — R1 — BW
Lyoto Machida def. Dan Henderson — Decision (Split) — R3, 5:00 — LHW; Co-Main
UFC Women’s BW Championship (5 rounds) — Main Event (FIRST WOMEN’S FIGHT IN UFC HISTORY)
Ronda Rousey def. Liz Carmouche — Submission (Armbar) — R1, 4:49 — Carmouche neck crank nearly finished Rousey; Rousey bit Carmouche’s arm to escape
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: Ronda Rousey vs. Liz Carmouche — $65,000 to each fighter.
KO/Performance Night: Various — $65,000 per recipient.
Records & Milestones
First women’s fight in UFC history — February 23, 2013; Honda Center, Anaheim; Rousey vs. Carmouche.
Ronda Rousey — first UFC Women’s BW Champion; seventh consecutive armbar finish in professional MMA.
First UFC PPV headlined by a women’s bout — UFC 157 was the first UFC numbered PPV event where the main event was a women’s fight.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 157 opened women’s MMA in the UFC’s flagship event format. The promotion had been resistant to adding women for most of its history. Dana White had previously stated on record that women would never compete in the UFC. Rousey’s mainstream profile, Olympic background, and perfect finishes changed that calculation. UFC 157 drew commercial performance consistent with a mid-tier PPV, but the long-term impact was the division itself.'),
Carmouche’s neck crank in round one was the first significant near-finish of Rousey’s UFC career. It showed the division was competitive, not merely a showcase, and contributed to the authenticity of the inaugural fight’s narrative.
FAQ
Was UFC 157 the first women's fight in UFC history?
Yes. UFC 157 on February 23, 2013, was the first UFC event to feature a women's bout. The main event between Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche was the first women's fight ever held in the octagon.
How did Carmouche nearly finish Rousey at UFC 157?
Carmouche took Rousey's back in the opening minute and locked in a neck crank. The technique was positioned across Rousey's mouth rather than her neck, preventing the choke. Rousey bit Carmouche's forearm to create space for the escape. Carmouche said post-fight that she found Rousey's teeth marks on her arm.
How was Ronda Rousey made UFC Women's BW Champion?
Rousey had been the Strikeforce Women's BW Champion before the UFC absorbed the women's division. She was formally awarded the inaugural UFC Women's BW title at a press conference on December 6, 2012, before UFC 157 was her first title defence.
Did Dana White ever say women would never be in the UFC?
Yes. White had repeatedly stated that women would not compete in the UFC. Rousey's mainstream profile and commercial appeal led to a reversal of that position in late 2012.
Who was Rousey's next opponent after UFC 157?
Rousey's first title defence led into a run of six UFC title defences. Her next fight was against Miesha Tate at UFC 168 in December 2013, where she successfully defended by TKO.
References
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