Although unlikely, what would a loss by Ronda Rousey mean?

It’s difficult to overstate Ronda Rousey’s dominance. Winning two title fights in a combined 30 seconds is sort of like Usain Bolt running a 9.1 100 meters to win the world championship and then coming back to do it in 9.0 seconds to win gold at the Olympics.

It’s laughable that some still point to a lack of competition as a reason for her success.

And besides, if she were facing inferior opposition, she’s doing what she should do: Winning in dominant fashion and not allowing the opponent a sliver of a chance.

This is how insanely dominant Rousey has become: If Bethe Correia survives the first minute of their bout for the women’s bantamweight title Saturday in the main event of UFC 190 in Rio de Janeiro, there will be disappointment. If Correia lasts the first round, there will be surprise.

And if Correia somehow, some way finds a way to defeat Rousey and win the title, it would be an utter shock.

An unbeaten and seemingly invincible Mike Tyson lost as a 42-1 favorite to James “Buster” Douglas in a 1990 heavyweight championship boxing match. Bookmakers didn’t learn, and in 1996, Tyson lost as a 25-1 favorite to Evander Holyfield.

After being burned by those odds, bookmakers took heed. No longer do they ever make a fighter such a massive favorite.

Not even Rousey, who has averaged 32 seconds in her last three wins, will ever be that large of a favorite. The financial risk to the bookmakers is too great.

And so Rousey is anywhere between a 17-1 and 14-1 favorite to defeat Correia, even though the true odds probably far exceed that.

Rousey is fond of saying, “Nobody is easy until after you beat them,” and so by that standard, Cat Zingano, Miesha Tate, Sara McMann, Alexis Davis and others were easy.

Rousey’s success has led to enormous opportunity outside the cage. She’s appeared on the covers of Sports Illustrated, ESPN the Magazine and Maxim.

She’s got a fashion deal with Buffalo Jeans and will soon get into the beauty space. A deal will be announced soon with a major video-game company that her agent, Brad Slater of William Morris Endeavor, said will be significant but declined to identify.

Rousey also represents Metro PCS, Reebok and Monster Energy and will appear in commercials for Carl’s Junior beginning in August.

She has also appeared in three movies and will soon shoot a fourth. In addition, Slater said a major studio is in discussions with her about the movie rights to her book.

In addition to her New York Times best-selling book, she is also a regular on the late-night talk circuit. She’s appeared on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon,” and on “Conan” on TBS.

It’s an amazing turnaround for a woman who, post-Olympics, tended bar, slept in her car because she had nowhere to live and briefly had drug and alcohol issues.

No one ever talks about what would happen if she lost, because the concept is so foreign.

If, as expected on Saturday, she disposes of Correia, she’ll meet Tate next. And while Tate is an elite fighter and has improved tremendously under coach Robert Follis, Rousey has already beaten her twice and would be a massive favorite to do so again.

The only fighter some say has more than a fleeting chance to defeat Rousey is Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino, who has yet to make 135 pounds. If that fight ever happens, UFC president Dana White predicted it would sell more than two million pay-per-views, which, if it did, would almost double the existing UFC record.

A fight with Justino would have special intrigue because the public would be fascinated by the possibility of seeing if anyone could beat Rousey.

A loss to Correia would have an impact, for sure. The veneer of invincibility would be gone forever if Correia were to have her hand raised.

Rousey’s appeal is based mostly, but not solely, on her dominance in the cage, and in that sense, any loss would impact her.

That said, she could survive one loss and still remain a star several levels above the rest in the UFC.

When Tyson lost to Douglas, his appeal was primarily his dominance, as well as the fact that he was so unpredictable personally. He might say or do anything and fans tuned in not only for the fight, but to see the train wreck, so to speak, as well.

Rousey’s appeal is multi-faceted. She’s a dominant athlete. She’s a terrific interview. She’s witty and wise-cracking, trash-talking and insightful. She’s attractive. And much like Oscar De La Hoya did when he rose to pay-per-view stardom in the mid-to-late 1990s, she brings a different audience from the standard fight crowd.

Rousey has a great following among women, and they buy her fights in larger numbers than they do for others.

So while a loss would no doubt chip away a bit at her mass appeal, it wouldn’t destroy it entirely.

A rematch with Correia in the event of a win by the Brazilian suddenly would become huge, a potential financial windfall for the fighters and for the UFC.

Tyson bounced back from his loss to Douglas to become bigger than ever.

Rousey could, as well.

But it’s kind of silly to talk about it, because it seems well, just about impossible that Rousey could lose.

Somebody once said of professional wrestling, it’s an event in which anything can happen, usually does and probably will.

But a Rousey loss to Correia is more possible in the theoretical realm. Just like it’s possible that someone one day will high jump 9 feet, or pole vault 22 feet or hit 80 home runs in a season or rush for 2,500 yards.

Possible, but unlikely.

Just like a Correia victory over Rousey.

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