Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is slowly but surely making her way back into the limelight after last November’s knockout loss to Holly Holm, the first defeat of her professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career.
Along the way, “Rowdy” has become affable, parading around the set of Saturday Night Live (watch it) and posting tongue-in-cheek videos about her ability to chew solid foods, a far cry from her dour disposition in the days before — and after — UFC 193.
Much to the delight of FOX Sports mouthpiece Colin Cowherd:
“I find her very cute and likable and vulnerable and fun there. If you’re a dominant MMA fighter — Holly Holm came on the set… you can still be fun, and vibrant, and a woman. I found Ronda Rousey, right before her fight with Holly Holm, kind of a bully. I didn’t find her likable. It’s okay to be a woman and a fighter. Holly Holm is an attractive woman and a fighter. Sometimes with these women who fight it’s like, ‘Hey, all I am is a fighter!’ It’s okay to be vulnerable, fun, cute, awesome, dominant athlete, and a fighter and a woman. It’s the same for guys.”
Take note, Mr. Grumpy Pants.
Rousey is expected to return to combat sports later this year, but now that Holm coughed up her division strap to Miesha Tate earlier this month at UFC 196, “Rowdy” will skip her do-over with “The Preacher’s Daughter” (for now) to complete her trilogy with “Cupcake.”
We’ll see how long the non-bully stance holds up once Tate turns up the heat.