This time last year there was no women in the UFC and Dana White famously swore off women from entering the Octagon.
Yet, with the acquisition of Strikeforce, the rumblings were there and at UFC 157 in February 2013, women’s MMA in the UFC became a reality as Ronda Rousey defeated Liz Carmouche via armbar in the first round. The UFC went all in on the belief that viewers would be interested in women fighting.
UFC 157 grabbed a lot of mainstream exposure and social media buzzed:
Got daughters. History this wknd. @RondaRousey wins 1st women’s UFC bout & @DanicaPatrick just Bcame 1st woman 2lead green lap @Daytona 500
— Stuart Scott (@StuartScott) February 24, 2013
Congratulations Mohr Stories veteran @rondarousey . Amazing fight. Brilliant finish.
— Jay Mohr (@jaymohr37) February 24, 2013
Who all is watching Rouzey vs Carmouche?!?! Major night for women!!! Lets entertain the world!!! Who you going for? #fb
— Hope Solo (@hopesolo) February 24, 2013
Rousey was sponsored by the UFC and Xyience in her first appearance. She starred in web commercials for Insureon. UFC 157 received the most PPV buys in HD in 2013. However, UFC 168 will likely eclipse it. The Rousey-effect?
Rousey signed with the William Morris agency and she was an immediate media darling. There was talk that she had a role in The Hunger Games sequel. That did not happen but she landed roles in The Expendables sequel and then the Fast and Furious franchise.
Cat Zingano and Miesha Tate put on the second memorable women’s fight in the UFC this year with Zingano getting the victory and wining the right to be the TUF coach opposite Rousey and face her after the show. Of course, we know with Zingano’s injury, Tate conveniently replaced Rousey.
It was thought that TUF 18: Tate v. Rousey would spur interest in the franchise due to the rivalry between Tate and Rousey. However, ratings were down despite the hype. Also, Rousey’s portrayal on the show made her less of a favorite than when she first stepped into the Octagon at UFC 157
As we know, UFC 168 looks to be a major success due in part to the Tate-Rousey co-main event. The crowd was behind Tate and booed Rousey. Despite the crowd reaction, Rousey showed that she has the look and talent of a UFC main-eventer. Rousey took home 2 bonuses which amounted to $250K. For her part in the fight, Miesha Tate took home $103K. Big paydays in the UFC where most fighters are lucky to make over $50K per fight.
Up next for Rousey is Sara McMann in February, a quick turnaround for a fighter that has had her schedule busy all of 2013.
No. 2 UFC moves to Fox Sports 1
No. 3. Bellator MMA Moves to Spike TV
No. 4. GSP and Silva Gone From UFC
No. 5. Eddie Alvarez-Bellator Settle Lawsuit
No. 6. UFC to Launch Digital Network
No. 7. UFC PPV Buys Actually Improving
No. 8. Zuffa Still Shut Out of New York
No. 9. UFC Continues Globalization of Brand
No. 11. WSOF Sustains in First Full Year
No. 12. The State of Sponsorships
No. 13. UFC Signs 11 Invicta FC Fighters for Strawweight Division
It’s amazing how ostrich-brained Rousey fans can say all the hate toward her is ridiculous and unjustified simply because of an “irrational” hate toward Tate. And “irrational” is the most you’re ever gonna get — many said troglodytes will say “justified.” That’s about as retarded as Tate’s gameplan in the fight. I somehow got through the entire season of TUF and still don’t understand (one BIT) Rousey’s indignation. After the fight, she said something about “Tate insulting her family.” What the EFF is she talking about? Regardless, I’m sure it was nothing, especially in the realm of sports trash talking.
In all seriousness, without even going into her mom/childhood, I think her crazy-despicable hate toward Tate stems from her own craaazy insecurities as an ugly and overweight kid growing up. Look at her just a few years ago (http://goo.gl/a3jIsi), and she doesn’t look much different today without an inch of makeup and the right angles/poses (eg. her retarded weigh-in pose). I understand how she could have some resentment toward Tate considering she literally backed up into the TUF gig and fight after losing badly, but her hate goes way waaaay beyond that.
I think she is a horrible, horrible ambassador for the sport. I guess there is some merit to the “having a villain is good for business” talk, but it doesn’t work for me personally. I didn’t buy 168 simply due to her being on the card.
I can see how one might say that my hate toward Ronda is also unneeded and irrational, but her actions actions toward Caraway on that one TUF episode shows everything you need to know about her. She KNOWS he can’t do anything, so she antagonizes him then acts like he’s scared of her cuz he can’t do anything about it. Who does that?? WHO?? That is despicably low. Learn to handle your alcohol, fatty. Yea yea, I know Caraway made those stupid comments about punching her teeth in, but that was a one-time thing he’s apologized for multiple times.
I’d like to see people jump through hoops defending this: http://goo.gl/dZ4Lif. Ever hear the saying about how you can tell all you need to know about a person by how he/she treats those beneath them?
I understand if some people will be outraged by my following comment here, but I speculate that performance-enhancing substances in her body may be playing a part in her erratic behavior/personality (constantly being in presence of the Edmund guy can’t help either).
Oh, and let’s not forget about her behavior in the Bollinger episode. She constantly said how she was “real” and Meisha “fake,” yet she completely mischaracterizes Meisha behind her back about how she supposedly threw Bollinger under the bus, accusing her of talking a bunch of crap about him. That’s not at ALL how it went down (on camera at least), yet that was the very FIRST thing Ronda wanted to get across to her team, talking crap and gossipping like a jilted 14-year-old. That, my friends, is yet another display of lowly, lowly despicable human behavior.
Yeah I think Ronda is an insecure bitch. Even Caraways comments about knocking her teeth out. Were made due to her making threats/challenges towards him. When someone verbally says they will beat you physically. I think his comments can only be taken as verbal self defense. Again it was Ronda trying to antagonize people because she is a dirt bag. I have no problem with Caraways response. It is the exact Response Ronda was trying to get. Then had the nerve to cry foul when he answers her threat. I don’t like her. BUt I do think she is good for business and I want to see her beat.
Ronda is a tough SOB. She also puts bums in the seats, so she is good for business. I just think if she faces a good wrestler, as Brian was mentioning in an earlier post, she’s going to have a hard time on the ground. Her Judo is top notch though.
You dudes sound like wussies oh she sooo insecure because she treated her most hated rival and her loser boyfriend bad. She such a terrible person oh my god stop it ok. And tate is not some super atractive girlthat rousey should be threaten by, besides she is the huge star doing movies and heading ppvs while tate goes home to carraway lol. You may not think shes hot but its a bunch men and women that do.
Nice to see DW copy EXC and Strikeforce when it comes to women fighting.
Ronda will be popular until her teenage fans grow up or DW gets bored with her and kicks her out of bed.
Her squash matches will continue, yawn.
BS, what kinda threats did she make?
I think she said she could beat him or beat Tate and Caraway at the same time. Then he got mad and said he would knock her teeth out. Its been a long time but it was something like that. Rogan asked if she thinks she could beat him and she said yes. When you say you want to fight someone and can beat them. I look at that as a threat. After all. Caraway only said what he would do in said hypothetical fight/match and everyone jumped all over him saying he was threatening her. Kind of the same think imo.
Are the DFW-Ronda rumors true? They seem to be just as prevalent as the Delonte West-Lebron mom rumors throughout the industry and among fans.