The “F” will never stand for female. But UFC president Dana White officially announced Friday that his organization has signed its first woman fighter: crossover star Ronda Rousey.
As of just one year ago, White was adamant that women would never compete for the UFC. But he told Jim Rome on his “The Jungle” radio show that Rousey has officially inked a contract with the company. TMZ reported last week Rousey would be the UFC’s first female fighter.
“She’s a real fighter and she’s very talented,” White said on Rome’s show. “She has the credentials, the pedigree; I mean everything. I think she has that ‘it’ factor. I think she’s going to be a big superstar. This girl is nasty.”
Rousey, 25, is 6-0 with all of her victories coming in the first round via armbar. The Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion is a former judo Olympic bronze medalist. But she’s as well known for her looks and personality as she is for her athletic ability. Rousey was on the cover of ESPN’s “The Body Issue” and has been a guest on multiple TV talk shows.
“Okay I admit it…I’m officially a @ufc fighter,” Rousey tweeted Friday. “SO excited! Can’t wait to debut! Let @danawhite know who you want my 1st opponent to be!”
White said the UFC will have “four or five good fights for her over the next year, year and a half.” The natural first foe would be rival former Strikeforce women’s featherweight champion Cris “Cyborg” Santos. But Santos says her doctor has advised her she would be unable to cut enough weight to make Rousey’s 135-pound class.
“It’s become abundantly clear to me that ‘Cyborg’ does not want to fight her,” White said.
The boss indicated that it would only be Rousey’s weight class in the UFC for right now. He said on “The Jungle” that just the 135-pound division has enough depth for multiple fights. That could leave Santos on the outside looking in.
White would not say what would become of Strikeforce, which is rumored to be folding up shop after its Jan. 12 event. UFC parent company Zuffa owns Strikeforce, which airs on Showtime. White said Rousey signed a whole new deal with Zuffa, making her a UFC competitor.