UFC president Dana White has pinned the entire future of women’s MMA on Ronda Rousey. In interviews, he has referred to the new female division as “The Ronda Rousey Show.”
Think the 25-year-old, who has just six pro fights under her belt, is feeling a little pressure?
Nope. Not at all.
“It’s not intimidating,” Rousey said. “It’s a lot of responsibility. I’m proud to carry that responsibility. I don’t think I’d trust anyone else with it. I think I can do the best job.”
Rousey will defend her newly crowned UFC women’s bantamweight title at UFC 157 on Feb. 23 at the Honda Center in Anaheim against Liz Carmouche. It’ll be the first-ever fight between two females in UFC history and also act as the main event of the night.
Rousey, a California native, has been given the ball and it’s up to her to run with it. That means media obligations, TV shows, radio interviews, magazine covers. It means her entire life has changed in a very short time. She wouldn’t have it any other way.
“When I first started doing MMA, committed my mind to it, this is exactly what I imagined – I was going all the way with it,” said Rousey, a former Olympic bronze medalist in judo. … “I’ll reach a goal, do a little dance and then it wears off. It’s like a drug. You’re always looking for the next hit. I’m addicted to it.”
White keeps referring to Rousey’s star power. She’s beautiful, funny and not afraid to speak her mind to go along with her dominance in the cage — Rousey is 6-0, all finishes coming in the first round by armbar.
She was on the cover of ESPN’s “The Body Issue,” showing off her bare backside. On a recent interview with Jim Rome, Rousey said she tries to have as much sex as possible before fights, because it produces testosterone in women.
These aren’t the same questions most UFC champions get – and certainly not the same answers given either.
“It’s because people aren’t used to hearing it from a girl,” Rousey said. “I don’t really know why. I don’t shy away from any questions. I’m not scared of any question. I’ll give you an answer. A lot of people are scared of having actual opinions out there. People are so scared of criticism. … I’m not scared of people disliking me.”
Rousey has had run-ins with many of her peers, some of whom have questioned her quick rise to fame. Carmouche is not one of those fighters. In fact, Carmouche, an openly homosexual former marine, is one of the few who have stuck up for Rousey.
“I cant’t think of any well-known elite athletes who are openly gay,” Rousey said. “I have so much respect for her. She did three tours as a marine. My dad was a veteran. Any trash talk against her would be fake and nothing about me is fake.”
Rousey says the sudden fame and distinction as a pioneer “doesn’t register with her.”
“It’s almost like I’m watching it happen to somebody else,” she said. … “I think it’s a very, very big deal (for women). I still think a lot of work needs to be done. I’m not going to sit here and bask in it.”
White has been non-committal about the future of women’s MMA in his organization. He said “it could last a year, it could last forever.” Rousey, the reason the UFC has taken this jump, doesn’t question the boss’s reasoning.
“I think they’re experimenting,” she said. “We’ll see how it goes. It’s a big investment. Where is women’s sports prominently displayed with the men? Tennis is the only thing I can think of. It’s uncharted territory. Then again, the sport itself is uncharted territory. I can’t really fault them for being a little cautious.
“I need to find a way to prove to them they don’t need that caution.”
They found the right woman for the job.