BOSTON — UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey created a stir over the weekend when she went on a Twitter tirade in which she lashed out at fans who criticized her for speaking out about her plans beyond a mixed martial arts career.
Rousey had stated she’s thinking of fighting for two more years before moving on with the next phase of her life.
Count UFC president Dana White among the skeptics.
Asked by reporters at Thursday’s UFC on Fight Night press conference at the Wang Center whether she thinks Rousey will go ahead and retire in two years, White was blunt: “There’s no way in hell,” White said.
Rousey, who defends her title against Miesha Tate at UFC 168, has roles lined up in “The Expendables 3” and “Fast and Furious 7.” White, however, has seen several fighters get sidetracked by Hollywood and is convinced Rousey isn’t going anywhere.
“I don’t care what Hollywood offers, they’re ain’t paying what we’re paying,” White said. “These guys, when they go out and make a movie, they’re not paying what we are.”
As for Rousey’s Twitter rant, White, who has been known to engage in a Twitter kerfluffle or two of his own, had a bit of advice: Stay offline if you’re having a bad day.
“If you want to be on Twitter, get ready,” White said. “Put your big-girl boots on. Get ready, because s— coming at you. Any time you’re in the public, with social media, and the internet or anywhere else, people are going to say stupid shit to you. No matter what, it’s going to happen. You can’t snap and flip out on everybody any time they do. She’ll learn that, she’s still young.”
“What Ronda Rousey has accomplished with the Olympics and mixed martial arts, she’s a workhorse,” White continued. “Just the load that we put on her, she kicks ass. She handles a lot of stuff. Everyone is going to have their moments where they snap and say hey, f— you world, leave me alone today. But those are the days you don’t pick up Twitter and hit the button and you don’t get on the internet.”
White laughed when a reporter suggested Rousey’s outburst would damage her brand.
“Does she have the perfect image? She doesn’t,” White said. “She says ‘f—‘ more than I do. She is who she is and I think people like her for her fighting style and the like who she is.”