According to multiple sources, as reported by Guilherme Cruz on MMAFighting.com, UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey‘s next challenge will be undefeated Brazilian Bethe Correia. The news was first reported by Brazilian news site Tatame (in Portuguese). UFC 190 is booked for August 1 and is expected to take place at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro.
Correia (9-0) has had an ongoing rivalry with Rousey since raining on the 2014 parade for the champ’s “Four Horsewomen” stable, which also included The Ultimate Fighter season 18’s Shayna Baszler and Jessamyn Duke, as well as fellow judoka Marina Shafir.
At UFC 172, Correia bested Duke by decision, and jokingly flashed the group’s signature hand gesture. This led to a bout with Baszler at UFC 177, who she would beat via second-round knockout.
Surprisingly, while Correia has jeered Rousey at every opportunity, the champ has been surprisingly nonchalant regarding the call-outs. That said, she has repeatedly stated her willingness to settle their differences in the Octagon and previously expressed interest in having the fight go down in Brazil.
While Rousey vs. Correia is a compelling matchup, there is no denying that “Pitbull” isn’t the Brazilian striker fans wanted to see get a shot at the UFC strap.
The MMA universe, of course, has been pulling for former Strikeforce champion and current Invicta FC champion Cris “Cyborg” Justino. While there were plenty of hints that a Rousey vs. Cyborg superfight was close to becoming a reality ahead of Rousey’s last title defense, it appears that dream will have to wait for now.
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