Ronda’s brash attitude and free flowing tongue have served as a point of controversy on more than a single occasion. Rousey is often overtly outspoken in regards to potential foes. She’s not afraid to issue a challenge, toss a few verbal barbs or take to the net to express disdain.
Polarizing is certainly a word befitting.
Ronda has been at the forefront of mixed martial arts media for months. She’s quickly becoming a familiar face in pop culture, having already been afforded exposure by high end media outlets ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Maxim (Girl of the Day on Aug. 14, 2012), and Sports Illustrated. Ronda is everywhere.
Dana is well aware of her marketability, as he’s afforded the woman a damn strong push himself. Ronda’s got a UFC Primetime running, her visibility is stronger than ever and White is heaping a world of hype and expectation on the woman’s shoulders.
Rousey might very well be the most hyped fighter we’ve ever seen. To Ronda’s credit, her accolades speak for themselves, having picked up a medal for Judo competition in the Olympics, swarmed through her first six opponents in roughly seven combined minutes. Did I mention that each and every fight was finished with Rousey’s lethal armbar?
Ronda’s hype is deserved. She appears a genuine phenom who has taken action in refining her game and developing a diverse attack. You may see an elbow capsule popped from time to time, but the woman’s striking looks to be improving virtually every fight out and she’s finding her confidence in all facets of the sport.
While Ronda is indeed worthy of the thick veil of praise engulfing her, it’s impossible to deny that the excessive Rousey campaign will eventually wear thin on fans. There’s nothing wrong with praising a fighter, but putting a fighter on a pedestal that may threaten to birth a strong overconfidence could be dangerous.
I say keep “Rowdy” in the spotlight, but pull back a tad on the reins. Overexposure leads to redundancy, which leads to fans simply growing tired of the same name and face, and predictable fight outcomes.
Let Ronda Rousey develop as she should, with strong, but not overbearing promotion. She’s talented, attractive and outspoken enough to make her career a success without being shoved into countless press conferences, photo shoots, television appearances and high profile interviews.
Let a woman breathe and prove her worth, damn it!
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