Marloes Coenen – image via Strikeforce.com
Former Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion Marleos Coenen (20-5) spoke with PunchDrunkGamer.com recently, pulling no punches when it came to UFC president Dana White and current Strikeforce women’s title holder Ronda Rousey.
Coenen hasn’t been in action since this past April, when she headlined the first Invicta Fighting Championship event, defeating Romy Ruyssen by unanimous decision.
The victory came with a price as the Golden Glory product suffered a torn ligament in her finger and has been on the mend since then.
In the interview with PDG, Coenen pulled no punches when it came to discussing “Dana ‘like a god’ White, and complimenting Rousey as “a great grappler” but someone who “does lack balls.”
PDG: UFC President Dana White recently changed his mind from “Never” to “Maybe” as far as the UFC having woman’s MMA; what do think the chances are that we see WMMA in the UFC?
Marloes Coenen: Honestly, whatever. I have a contract with Invicta FC and they believe in the woman in mixed martial arts and I want to fight for GLORY as they also believe in us women in MMA. GLORY will become such a big and amazing player, I want to be a part of that. Being amongst the elite standup fighters in the world inspires me so much. If you see guys fighting like Semmy Schilt, Remy Bonjasky and Peter Aerts, you can only think about improving yourself. I’m not going to wait till Dana “like a god” White changes his mind to decide my future.
PDG: Ronda Rousey has been on a tear lately, what do you think of her as a fighter and also an ambassador of female MMA?
Marloes Coenen: She is a great grappler. The way she took out Sarah Kaufmann was amazing and so unexpected to me. But she does lack balls, she judoed at 154lbs, entered Strikeforce at 145lbs and when she had to fight Cris Cyborg she dropped to 135lbs. Using me as an example. Let me tell you this, I fought Cyborg (and will do so in the future again) and then was asked by Strikeforce to drop to 135lbs. Having said all this, career wise it was really smart of her and she deserves a master in PR. She doesn’t care how she gets there, as long as she gets there. And she’s successful at it, looking at the magazine covers like ESPN and changing Dana White’s mind.
PDG: Enlight of Cris Cyborg’s positive drug test, do you believe that you deserve a rematch or that the fight should be declared a no-contest or both? And do you think as Ronda Rousey said “That she has cheated her whole career”?
Marloes Coenen: I can be quite naive, but I knew what she was doing when I had to fight her. It was my decision to step into the cage with her. So I have to suck it up as well. It’s not me who can decide what should happen. The authorities (whoever that might be) or fans can do that, not me.