It sounds like Dana White hasn’t changed his mind about adopting women’s MMA.
Although the majority of the questions at the UFC 153 post-fight press conference revolved around Anderson Silva, potential superfights and the company’s future plans for Brazil, the final minutes of the session were devoted to Ronda Rousey and Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos.
Dana White praised both fighters as the best in the world, and noted that the time seems right for him to get involved in women’s MMA:
As far as women’s MMA goes, I’m warming up to it, thinking about sticking my toe in it and seeing how this thing goes. I agree with you, obviously, Cyborg is one of the best in the world and Ronda Rousey is another one. So we’ll see what happens.
Exactly what that means is up to interpretation, but it mirrors statements the UFC president made during the UFC on FX 5 post-fight press conference and a MetroPCS live fan chat last August.
Rousey‘s future is uncertain, as Strikeforce has canceled the rest of its events this year, fueling speculation that the promotion will close its doors. If Showtime does pull the plug on Strikeforce—one of the most prominent stages for female fighters—women’s MMA will take a huge hit.
Dana White has been working behind the scenes in an attempt to put together a fight between Rousey and Cyborg, although he has yet to confirm if that fight would be a UFC event.
For her part, Ronda Rousey has stated that she would only take the bout at the 135-pound bantamweight limit, calling Cyborg a “cheater” following the former featherweight champion’s positive test for stanozolol, an anabolic steroid.
Most notably, the UFC president has taken it upon himself to keep Rousey in the spotlight with several events, including a cameo spot on The Ultimate Fighter: Live, appearances at various UFC cards and celebrity events like the season premiere of FX‘s Sons of Anarchy.
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