Pioneers such as Debbi Purcell were vital. The marketing of Gina Carano was important. Cyborg Santos showed that women’s MMA could be just as exciting and violent as the men. But it is current Strikeforce champion Ronda Rousey who is on the path to being the single most important figure in women’s mixed martial arts history.
The likes of Purcell and others are important figures in the WMMA lexicon and the early pioneers of the female presence in the cage should not be forgotten, but they never elevated the sport.
Carano blazed a trail of being the first female fighter in a sanctioned bout in the state of Nevada, the first televised female fight on Showtime and on network television. The opportunity to promote the marketable Carano by Strikeforce and EliteXC put women’s MMA on the map.
While Carano has fallen out of favor with many MMA fans, her presence and importance has to be noted.
Rousey, however, is leading a new charge that has invigorated the fans to see a bright future for all the women in the sport.
Carano brought style to the casual audience. Cyborg brought substance. Ronda Rousey brings both style and substance with a charismatic personality that shines.
When Zuffa purchased Strikeforce, the fate of women’s MMA hung in the balance. While many lamented it was the beginning of the end, they reached out and signed the former Olympian. With quick finishes, and nice post-fight interviews, Strikeforce found themselves with a potential new star.
The months leading up to the Miesha Tate vs. Ronda Rousey fight caught the attention of the MMA world. And the dominant performance by Rousey put her on the map for good. Since that time she has been jet-setting across the nation for appearances that has the casual fan asking when, not if, she will fight inside the Octagon. Pundits have called for her to defend the title on a UFC on FOX card.
And therein lies where Rousey becomes, potentially, the most important figure in WMMA history.
If she continues on her current trajectory, then Zuffa will see the value in her and female division(s). As Strikeforce continues to fade, her star-power and marketability will force Zuffa to create a female championship and promote her as a UFC fighter.
With her presence at the front of women’s MMA, it will see the bright lights of a UFC event. It will be broadcast to the legions of UFC fans across the world. It will hit the, dare I say, mainstream.
Rousey’s popularity will continue to draw fans to the women who participate in this sport. It will help facilitate the growth of every division and other organizations such as Invicta FC. While many discredited Rousey’s title shot in March due to her way with words, they owe Rousey a “thank you,” as her wordsmithery is what started this potential boom.
There is still a lot of work to be done, but Rousey’s charisma and athleticism is transcending to the casual fans. She is what the sport always needed. If she can get the women to the inside of the glorified cage of the Octagon, she will be the biggest contributor to WMMA in its history.
Ronda Rousey is the linchpin for the sport. Without her, this now bright future is only a hope. They should begin carving her likeness into the side of the women’s MMA Mount Rushmore.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com