Originally posted on 11/16/2015:
George St. Pierre and Lennox Lewis both got knocked out in their "prime" when they held belts, and both are considered great champs. Tyson got beat up and knocked out by Buster Douglas when he was considered unbeatable. It happens. I could name 50 great fighters that got knocked out while they were champs if I wanted to list fighters pre 1970, since they used to fight 8 times a year in the "old days". Rousey got beat up by a great fighter who has skills. Obviously she was overrated, and only time will tell what her "status" will be in a historical context, but saying great champions never get brutally knocked out is just ridiculous. And since Laila Ali ducked fighters like Ann Wolfe, that had the potential to knock her out, the statement coming from her is silly.