It took 20 years for women to work their way into the UFC. It took 4 minutes and 49 seconds for them to prove to doubters why they belonged.

Ronda Rousey, the former Olympian who rose from obscurity to stardom in the blink of an eye, defended her UFC bantamweight strap on Saturday night, adding the right arm of Liz Carmouche to her growing collection in the main event of UFC 157. The result was admittedly predictable, but the execution was undeniably electric.

Carmouche seized Rousey's back midway through the first round, nearly securing a choke then a neck crank that would have stunned the world, before tumbling off and succumbing to Rousey's trademark armbar. The moment not only served as vindication for Carmouche, who many said didn't stand a chance, but also Rousey and women's mixed martial arts as a whole. The 26-year-old displayed the heart of a UFC champion, and ultimately, WMMA couldn't have asked for a louder, more emphatic, introduction to the masses.

Great fight! @rondayrousey fought like a worthy champion! Welcome to the @ufc women! :) — Siyar The Great (@SiyarTheGreat) February 24, 2013

@vitorbelfort @rondarousey your arm bar is great u got to teach me so when I fight #jonjones next time I will take that arm home — Vitor Belfort (@vitorbelfort) February 24, 2013

Pretty amazing moment in time tonight Rousey vs Carmouche #UFC157 — Sean Shelby (@seanshelby) February 24, 2013

whoever said that Hendo vs Machida was "the real main event", I wonder if they're glad that it wasn't. Ronda n Liz WERE the real main event. — Vinny Magalhaes (@VinnyMMA) February 24, 2013

Man doesn't girls know how to defend an arm bar yet, one fight at time they will get better. — Roy Nelson (@roynelsonmma) February 24, 2013

Congrats to @rondarousey ! I need to learn those armbars!! Great technick ! — Demian Maia (@demianmaia) February 24, 2013

Congrats also to Liz @iamgirlrilla . Those girls deserve our respect. — Demian Maia (@demianmaia) February 24, 2013

Roust by armbar OMG — mark richard hunt (@markhunt1974) February 24, 2013

Wow Liz had @rondarousey in trouble for a second & almost took her to the second round. #Almost #ufc157 Ronda is a stud. — Yves Edwards (@thugjitsumaster) February 24, 2013

That was a real fight Ronda is badass — Ross Pearson (@RossTheRealDeal) February 24, 2013

Both @rondarousey & @iamgirlrilla were on point & def made history by basically walkn on the moon by enterin the octagon by wmma standards — Michelle Ould (@MichelleOuldMMA) February 24, 2013

Congrats @rondarousey ! And Liz for being game and up for the challenge. — Tyron T-Wood Woodley (@TWooodley) February 24, 2013

You can't stop it, you can only hope to contain. #RondaArmlock #RondaLock — Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) February 24, 2013

Damn! Good fight for the women! @ufconfox — Pablo Garza UFC (@PabloGarzaMMA) February 24, 2013

Ronda fought through that rnc like a champ. — MIKE RICHMAN (@MikeUSMCRichman) February 24, 2013

Wow that Ronda rousey fight was amazing! — Reuben Duran (@ReubenDuranUFC) February 24, 2013

I knew it Ronda is THE BEST AROUND IN THE WORLD!!!!@ufc & @danawhite just found GOLD #awesomeChamp — kurt pellegrino (@kurtpellegrino) February 24, 2013

First round arm bar!! crazy good fight #girlsarestealingtheshow — lloyd woodard (@mmacupcake) February 24, 2013

This is sad to admit but i think ronda rousey and liz carmouche are stronger than me lol :( — Nam Phan (@NamPhanMMA) February 24, 2013

I gave 100% tonight. Thank you for your support! I shall return. #lizbos — LIZ CARMOUCHE (@iamgirlrilla) February 24, 2013

MACHIDA OUTPOINTS HENDERSON

There are very few things on Earth I dislike more than Machida's fighting style... — Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) February 24, 2013

I disagree with the @danhendo score! I thought Dan won that fight. — Cung Le (@CungLe185) February 24, 2013

@danhendo score a ton of inside leg kicks — Cung Le (@CungLe185) February 24, 2013

I'd like to see Machida on Dancing with the Stars — Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) February 24, 2013

I know that's not what fans (or myself) wanted to see but that was extremely technical stand up. Surprised Dan didn't try more takedowns. — Kyle Kingsbury (@Kingsbu) February 24, 2013

So does Loyoto get a title shot now or do you guys wanna wait to see what happens between the Gustafsson and Mousasi fight? @ufc — Ulysses Gomez (@uselessgomez) February 24, 2013

LMAO at Chuck Liddell asking @joerogan if Hendo and Machida landed anything at all? #ufc157 — Siyar The Great (@SiyarTheGreat) February 24, 2013

Boring...looked like a pissed off drunk dad fighting his kid's Karate teacher. — War Machine (@WarMachine170) February 24, 2013

Machida footwork & efficiency won him the fight but not an exciting one. Gotta respect Hendo's right hand tho. Smart fight. #UFC157 — Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) February 24, 2013

Well here's the prob. If someone fights defensively & still out scores u, then u lose. As annoying as it is, it will win fights. #mayweather — Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) February 24, 2013

Waiting for Dana to press a button and the octagon shrinks to the size of the bud light sign for Hendo vs. Machida — John Cholish (@JohnCholish) February 24, 2013

Not sure how that gets scored for Henderson. #ufc157 — Jason High (@KCBanditMMA) February 24, 2013

Judges r retarded, Hendo all the way! — Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) February 24, 2013

I dnt even know how to score that fight. And honestly dnt want to. It sucked — George Roop (@GeorgeRoop) February 24, 2013

Everyone is booing but i thought it was fair. What do you guys think? — Nam Phan (@NamPhanMMA) February 24, 2013

Apologize to my fans for a boring fight, wont happen again. I appreciate the support...be back soon! — Dan Henderson (@danhendo) February 24, 2013

FABER CHOKES OUT MENJIVAR

Pretty excited do this Faber and Menjivar fight.I was at their first fight and was a like 2 squirrels fighting over a nut. — Chris Clements(@menaceclements) February 24, 2013

I think we're seeing vintage Uriah with these elbows from the guard — Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) February 24, 2013

It's nuts in here!! Faber wins by RNC — Alexis Davis (@AlexisDavisMMA) February 24, 2013

@urijahfaber u desserve the Black Belt u look amazing congrats — Vitor Belfort (@vitorbelfort) February 24, 2013

That was badass!!! Congrats @urijahfaber — chad mendes (@chadmendes) February 24, 2013

Great performance from @urijahfaber guess his job is safe!lol — Ross Pearson (@RossTheRealDeal) February 24, 2013

Daaaamn that was crazy. #ufc157 — Jason High (@KCBanditMMA) February 24, 2013

Guaranteed entertainment with @urijahfaber in the ring! Epic victory pose while still on Menjivars back! You da man Fabes. #SOTN — Joseph Benavidez (@JoeJitsu) February 24, 2013

Menjivar = not an easy guy to submit. Faber slipped in a beautiful #RNC #UFC157 — Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) February 24, 2013

Awesome submission urijah. You did it :) — Nam Phan (@NamPhanMMA) February 24, 2013

That's to bad I was hoping Ivan would've pulled it off. Great job to faber! — Pablo Garza UFC (@PabloGarzaMMA) February 24, 2013

So is it safe to say that @urijahfaber is going to win SOTN unless Rhonda wins by armbar? — Ulysses Gomez (@uselessgomez) February 24, 2013

Awesome work by Faber.. Yeah i personally know his strong back control &next time around wouldn't let it quite be the same. :)) — Raphael Assuncao (@RaphaAssuncao) February 24, 2013

Hi thanks for the support! I am ok no injuries sorry or the fast fight that's is the game :-) — Ivan Menjivar ufc (@Ivanmenjivar) February 24, 2013

LAWLER FLATTENS KOSCHECK

Way to go @ruthless_rl you looked vicious. #UFC157 powerful strikes. — Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) February 24, 2013

Damn Lawler beast, I thought a little premature stoppage but whoa... #UFC157 — Mark Bocek (@MarkBocek) February 24, 2013

A lot of people are giving Herb Dean a tough time for stopping the Robbie/Kos fight but remember he was the ref fot the Bermudez/Grice fight — Ulysses Gomez (@uselessgomez) February 24, 2013

No matter if that was early stoppage there was only going to be one outcome after them bombs!! — Ross Pearson (@RossTheRealDeal) February 24, 2013

I agree with @joerogan it looked a little premature. But congrats to Robbie. — Kyle Kingsbury (@Kingsbu) February 24, 2013

Nothin premature about that stoppage at all. #ufc157 — Jason High (@KCBanditMMA) February 24, 2013

Kos just gave up... Robbie took his will! #ufc157 — Siyar The Great (@SiyarTheGreat) February 24, 2013