There you have it, Nation. Like Dexy’s Midnight Runners before her, it appears that Ronda Rousey’s sophomore effort has failed to live up to her mainstream debut. It deeply saddens us to come to the revelation that her eye-popping debut on last year’s ESPN “Body Issue” will now serve as the “Come On Eileen” of her career as an ESPN magazine cover girl, but what else could we have expected? The bar was set TOO HIGH, dammit; I personally anticipated nothing less than a giant Cobra, fireworks, paraplegics doing jazz hands, and a Suicide Girl with the words “Soy Bomb” painted on her chest swallowing a sword. But alas, we get elated Pikachu.
My obliterated (and completely unrealistic) expectations aside, it’s good to see “Rowdy” gracing the covers of ESPN: The Magazine again, especially on an issue as big as the mag’s 15th anniversary. Rousey will be featured alongside the likes of Kobe Bryant and Tom Brady when the magazine hits stands this Friday.
But for now, let’s pour (another) one out for Nude Ronda. She came into our lives as quickly as she went, but thanks to the power of print, her memory will forever remain in the annals of history. So it is with this song, Nude Ronda, that we bid you farewell…
There you have it, Nation. Like Dexy’s Midnight Runners before her, it appears that Ronda Rousey’s sophomore effort has failed to live up to her mainstream debut. It deeply saddens us to come to the revelation that her eye-popping debut on last year’s ESPN “Body Issue” will now serve as the ”Come On Eileen” of her career as an ESPN magazine cover girl, but what else could we have expected? The bar was set TOO HIGH, dammit; I personally anticipated nothing less than a giant Cobra, fireworks, paraplegics doing jazz hands, and a Suicide Girl with the words “Soy Bomb” painted on her chest swallowing a sword. But alas, we get elated Pikachu.
My obliterated (and completely unrealistic) expectations aside, it’s good to see “Rowdy” gracing the covers of ESPN: The Magazine again, especially on an issue as big as the mag’s 15th anniversary. Rousey will be featured alongside the likes of Kobe Bryant and Tom Brady when the magazine hits stands this Friday.
But for now, let’s pour (another) one out for Nude Ronda. She came into our lives as quickly as she went, but thanks to the power of print, her memory will forever remain in the annals of history. So it is with this song, Nude Ronda, that we bid you farewell…
Mixed martial arts is a sport widely practiced by men. While the ring girls have been prevelant, female fighters didn’t appear until recent years under the Strikeforce mixed martial arts promotion. Female fighters are very.
Mixed martial arts is a sport widely practiced by men. While the ring girls have been prevelant, female fighters didn’t appear until recent years under the Strikeforce mixed martial arts promotion. Female fighters are very controversial. Many fans argue that they don’t belong in the UFC, and others feel that it gives the sport a WWE feel; especially when these fighters pose nude. It’s one thing for a ring girl to pose nude, as their profile depends on positive feedback from fans. Female fighters, on the other hand, are supposed to build their image around their athletic ability and achievements in the octagon. Posing nude, even in an artful manner, seems to diminish that talent. Ronda Rousey is the newest female fighter to embody such an image.
While Rousey was found bashing fellow opponent Miesha Tate and other female fighters for having pictures online in their underwear, it seems she has changed her tune. Officials for ESPN the magazine stated today that Rousey would be one of six athletes appearing nude in the magazine. The magazine is scheduled to hit newsstands July 13th. The shots are intended to look artistic rather than raunchy. You can be the judge of that.
Rousey feels that it will help boost her PPVs, and, as stated, raise her profile as a fighter and a person. I am concerned with this. Ronda Rousey is an explosive athlete who has surged the media for her aggressive submission attempts, trash talking in and out of the octagon, and her amazing physique. It would be a shame if people soon began to see and know her for her body rather than her fighting skills, as emphasized with her pictures. Whether you love her or you hate her, there aren’t too many bad things you can say about a fighter who has gone undefeated while finishing every fight. She has skills, and has the potential to bring the female division of the sport to a whole new level, and give others a chance to develop a respect and appreciation for female fighters. We can only hope that a scandalous photo shoot won’t cheapen that potential.
On the other hand, female athletes pose for a number of magazines revealing a completely nude body including Maxim, Playboy, and Hustler. If a female athlete is going to pose without clothes on, it’s more appropriate to present the photos in an athlete themed magazine. After all, the clothes they wear to fight don’t cover much skin either. But there seems to be a much more appealing aspect to a fighter with tight clothes on rather than being nude. I hope Ronda Rousey’s decision to pose for ESPN magazine doesn’t cause a concern for her image as a fighter, but is rather seen as an artistic piece of publicity. That’s why famous people do a ton of crazy stuff, right?
(Props: Card/homo sapient)
Remember when ESPN: The Magazine featured a semi-nude Gina Carano in their inaugural "Body Issue" last year? (Answer: Sure you do.) Well, they’re at it again this year, with a new pack of pro athletes strippi…
Remember when ESPN: The Magazine featured a semi-nude Gina Carano in their inaugural "Body Issue" last year? (Answer:Sureyoudo.) Well, they’re at it again this year, with a new pack of pro athletes stripping down for your amusement. Representing MMA this time around are Cristiane "Cris Cyborg" Santos, her husband Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos, and Herschel Walker. What the hell? Was Miesha Tate unavailable? Since that Playboy rumor never came to fruition, these pictures of Cristiane and Evangelista are the closest you’ll get to seeing Cris Cyborg naked in a magazine, if you’re into that sort of thing. The rear-view is after the jump. If you want to see Herschel Walker naked, you’re on your own.
