With all the talk of what the UFC’s Reebok could be doing, or not doing, for fighters, it’s good to know at least one female athlete is getting by.
Speaking to part-time actress Ronda Rousey, the prolific interviewer Larry King asked the UFC women’s bantamweight champion if the pay discrepancy between male and female fighters resembled the one between Hollywood’s elite.
“Well, I don’t know exactly what everyone else’s contract looks like, but I think within the next few fights I’ll be in the top five to 10 money-making of all time in MMA,” Rousey said. “So I’m paid well.”
Although Rousey has previously stated she prefer the world not knowing exactly how much money she earns, UFC president Dana White has been hinting at her status for quite a while.
Speaking with media prior to UFC 170 in 2014, White said depending on how the pay-per-view results did Rousey could break into the company’s top 10 all-time career earners in just her third UFC fight.
Rousey reportedly earned $65,000 to show and $65,000 to win her 14 second title defense to Cat Zingano at UFC 184 in February, but stood to pocket over $1 million through her pay-per-view back end cut with tiered points.
A benefactor of ‘pay-per-view points,’ Rousey was asked if she believed a grudge match with Invicta FC featherweight champion Cris Cyborg would exceed two million PPV buys.
“Maybe,” said Rousey. “I think it definitely would.”
As per usual, Rousey was anything but complementary of her chief rival.
“I don’t like cheaters, in general,” said Rousey. “She takes steroids and she walks into a cage with a weapon and tries to hurt women with it. She doesn’t deserve to have that advantage.
“If she can make 145 pounds pumped up full of steroids then she can get off the juice and make weight like everybody else and fight. I don’t see why I have to make an exception for a con artist when she doesn’t deserve any exception at all.”
Rousey defends her title to No. 1 contender Bethe Correia Aug. 1 at UFC 190 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
‘It was just kind of anti-climactic.’ Urijah Faber says ‘dead time’ is what gave Frankie Edgar the win in their Manila main event. ‘The fight was definitely closer than the judges’ scorecards’
‘He’s doing it for the greater good.’ Matt Mitrione says UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo has ‘huge stones’ for speaking out about the Reebok deal.
One less horsewoman. Shayna Baszler is among a host of fighters released by the UFC this week.
Semtex. Paul Daley returns to action to fight journeyman Dennis Olson at Bellator 140 in July.
‘I’d be happy to move up and take that shot.’ Luke Rockhold says he’d be happy to challenge for the 205-pound title after beating UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. ‘If I’m going to 205, it’s going to be nothing except to challenge for the title.’
MEDIA STEW
Dan Henderson isn’t done yet.
Chael Sonnen isn’t buying the Conor McGregor hype.
The Entourage bros talking about working with Rousey.
Are you paying attention, Donald Cerrone?
Nice training vlog with WSOF bantamweight Timur Valiev.
Dan and Jim Miller are apparently pretty decent brewmasters.
TWEETS
Black carpet.
Walkin the black carpet for @entouragemovie last night pic.twitter.com/2ImfQNvXIs
— Ronda Rousey (@RondaRousey) June 2, 2015
Good advice.
quotes from the @ufc summit. Let the world know what you want in that short window you have with Joe Rogan after a fight!- @sholler_ufc
— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) June 2, 2015
Doing an interview is like a first date. Don’t be you, be the best you! –@ForrestGriffin #@ufcsummitquotes
— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) June 2, 2015
Money will show you who you really are –@matthughes9x #@ufcathletesummitquotes
— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) June 2, 2015
Get well soon.
1week down 5 to go! Pretty much my meals…not so fun but still eating (drinking ) clean. Back to… https://t.co/Zm7OlRbtfV
— JohnTheBull Makdessi (@JohnMakdessiMMA) June 2, 2015
Hand surgery went well today!!! Thanks for all the well wishes. Feeling the ??. https://t.co/WYTkl1P4Gq
— JIMI MANUWA (@POSTERBOYJM) June 2, 2015
No more stitches in my eyebrow https://t.co/tlvddlu468
— Chris Weidman (@ChrisWeidmanUFC) June 2, 2015
Gettin mobility back cant wait to fight again hopefully by the end of the year #SomeonesGonnaGetHurt #FromHell #SCOI pic.twitter.com/DxZkbTcKmp
— Vinc Pichel (@FromHellPichel) June 3, 2015
Congrats.
Out in sept troops never thought I would write about the craziness pic.twitter.com/iMYcTaKg2g
— mark richard hunt (@markhunt1974) June 2, 2015
Update.
A lot of people have been asking me when I’ll be fighting again…. #UFC #BeBackSoon pic.twitter.com/edQpZyGCs6
— Carla Esparza (@CarlaEsparza1) June 3, 2015
Good cause.
Last year my son was born with cancer so we raised close to $75K for the @TheJimmyFund… Let’s do it again! http://t.co/L1je1K9LWS @ufc
— Joe Lauzon (@JoeLauzon) June 2, 2015
Please be careful.
It’s going down this summer! This is 1 of 2. #teamweidman https://t.co/v7EeujPP8K
— Chris Weidman (@ChrisWeidmanUFC) June 2, 2015
Get a room.
@Cody_Nolove lookin good
— Paige VanZant (@PaigeVanzantUFC) June 3, 2015
@PaigeVanzantUFC you look better
— Cody Garbrandt (@Cody_Nolove) June 3, 2015
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (June 2 2015)
Paul Daley vs. Dennis Olson at Bellator 140
Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.