Bethe Correia went too far and is apologizing for it.
In an interview with Combate this week, Correia went on a typical rant against Ronda Rousey to promote their UFC 190 title fight Aug. 1 in Rio de Janeiro. Correia is well known for her trash talk and really it was the thing that earned her the title shot against Rousey in the first place.
However, the Brazilian admittedly crossed the line when she brought up a sensitive topic that was close to Rousey: suicide. Correia wrote Thursday on Twitter that she didn’t realize Rousey’s father took his own life.
@RondaRousey Never knew what happened to ur dad.I’m humble enough to ask u for forgiveness. Family is a godly bless to me. See u in #UFC190
— Bethe (@bethecorreia) May 28, 2015
Correia has been insensitive in her fight promotion, which is not something foreign to Rousey, who has called Cris Cyborg an “it” and said she would kill Sarah Kaufman in the cage. This quote in particular by Correia, though, hit home.
“She is winning, so everybody is around her cheering her up, but when she realizes she is not everything that she believes she is, I don’t know what might happen,” Correia told Combate (translation by MMA Mania). “I hope she does not kill herself later on.”
It is well-documented that Rousey’s father committed suicide when Rousey was a child. She wrote about it in her recent book “My Fight/Your Fight,” which Correia seemed to be familiar with in the Combate inerview. The UFC women’s bantamweight champion blasted Correia on Twitter on Thursday night.
@bethecorreia suicide is no joke or selling point. My father will be with me the day I hand you the comeuppance you deserve.
— Ronda Rousey (@RondaRousey) May 28, 2015
Rousey (11-0) is a massive favorite against Correia (9-0), who is also undefeated with wins over Rousey’s friends Shayna Baszler and Jessamyn Duke.
Rousey always loves a story going into a fight and there is one here. Correia has done her best to sell a fight that many think is a mismatch, though most would agree this was not a tasteful way of doing it — even in the many times tasteless world of prize fighting.