Ronda “Rowdy” Rousey is one of the most popular MMA stars in the world, and it was only a matter of time before Dana White rightfully put the undefeated champion in the octagon for a major UFC event.
Oh, and she’s a she—big whoop, wanna fight about it? I bet Rousey probably does.
The 26-year-old from Riverside County, Calif. is the LeBron James of MMA. She is the Lionel Messi of the octagon, the best in the sport by a large margin. Way better than everyone else. Unstoppable. You get the idea.
Rousey has six official fights under her belt. She has gone six rounds and secured six wins—all by armbar. Her submission of Julia Bond was the best of 2011. Her submission of Miesha Tate was the best of 2012. Her most recent of Sarah Kaufman took just 54 seconds:
The 2011 and 2012 Female Fighter of the Year is unlike anything we’ve ever seen. She’s aggressive, dominant, overpowering, technical and not so hard on the eyes—if you’re into that sort of thing. She is a force of nature that you have to see to believe.
Just ask White, who was instantly convinced the moment he saw her ascendancy.
Rousey was such an undeniable attraction that White, the sport’s president, was forced to sign her to UFC and create the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship just so she would have a title to defend at the upcoming UFC 157 against Liz Carmouche (which will mark the first ever women’s UFC fight).
And it was unequivocally the correct decision.
Women’s MMA, just like every other sport, is completely different than men’s. It’s understandably not for everyone, but this isn’t about gender.
It’s about one athlete transcending so unbelievably far above their sport that history needs to be made just so more people can bare witness. Rousey‘s popularity is skyrocketing, and even if she isn’t the star of the most popular sport in the world, what she’s doing is too unbelievable not to at least watch one time in your life.
She’s like the Aurora Borealis or the Great Wall of China.
Even critics of the sport will find it difficult not to get just a little bit pumped up after watching the preview of Rousey vs. Carmouche:
UFC 157 is going to be unique. It’s going to feature a woman fighter. Some people will undoubtedly hate that, but the majority of the population won’t be able to look away.
Score another one for White and this increasingly popular sport.
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