Conor McGregor became the undisputed face of the UFC in 2016 for reasons that go beyond his fighting skills.
McGregor is a modern-day version of famous professional wrestler “Nature Boy” Ric Flair, a man who wears custom suits and isn’t afraid to…
ConorMcGregor became the undisputed face of the UFC in 2016 for reasons that go beyond his fighting skills.
McGregor is a modern-day version of famous professional wrestler “Nature Boy” Ric Flair, a man who wears custom suits and isn’t afraid to speak his mind regarding just about anybody and anything. Whether much of McGregor‘s act is a “gimmick” doesn’t matter to casual fight fans or even to diehards who root for him to fail. McGregor fills arenas and sells pay-per-views each time he competes.
He also made history at multiple UFC shows this year.
Per Dave Meltzer of MMA Fighting, the UFC 202 show headlined by McGregor vs. Nate Diaz set a new record for UFC pay-per-view buys. McGregor, the featherweight champion as of Nov. 12, then defeated Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 to win the lightweight title, making him the promotion’s first simultaneous two-division champion.
McGregor backs his talk up inside the cage.
It’s easy to understand, upon reviewing 10 of McGregor‘s wildest moments from 2016, why he’s the top draw and top star in mixed martial arts. We already can’t wait to see what McGregor has in mind for 2017.
Ronda Rousey and Beyonce are both powerful, inspiring women. In fact, the two of them together would have a pretty good chance at world domination. Unique in their own ways, these two superwomen have more in common than one might think.
Beyonce has be…
Ronda Rousey and Beyonce are both powerful, inspiring women. In fact, the two of them together would have a pretty good chance at world domination. Unique in their own ways, these two superwomen have more in common than one might think.
Beyonce has been dominating the music scene for well over a decade. While Rousey’s rise to fame has been more recent, it has been reminiscent of Queen Bey more than once. Here, folks, is how Ronda Rousey became the Beyonce of sports.
Fans Went Nuts Over Meeting Her
Beyonce has many devoted fans, and she is often known to spend time interacting with them. Rousey is starting to inspire the same type of zeal from her own admirers. In fact, several fans were moved to tears when they had a chance to meet her in Brazil in July.
“Neither Is a DNB”
Beyonce has been creating memorable lines in songs for years. Rousey now has her own signature term, “do nothing b—h,” which she coined during an episode of the UFC 190 Embedded vlog series. Before performing her song “Diva” at a recent concert, Beyonce played Rousey’s entire speech, inciting cheers from her fans.
To be honest, it’s a honor to have a real powerhouse of a woman like Beyonce just recognize my existence. It’s surreal how something I thought was a pre-fight rant in my hotel room that would end up scrapped on some editor’s floor has taken off to the point a cultural icon like Beyonce is playing it between songs at her concert. Such a huge compliment, I couldn’t be more grateful.
She Killed on Ellen
Anybody who’s anybody has been a guest on Ellen, right? Naturally, Beyonce has appeared more than once, and she’s always a delight.
Rousey proved she too can crush the talk-show scene with her own Ellen appearance in September. Not only did she show her softer side by discussing her tendency to cry before fights, but Rousey also demonstrated a few moves for the audience, showing her anything-but-soft side.
She Brought Home the Bacon
According to Forbes, Beyonce was the highest-paid woman in music in 2014, earning $115 million. Rousey told Ellen DeGeneres she is the highest-paid fighter in the UFC, and Forbes listed her at eighth on its list of the top 10 highest-paid female athletes of 2015.
She Is One of the “40 Under 40”
Fortune just named Rousey to its “40 Under 40” list of influential people. The magazine cited her achievements in the ring, emergence as an actress and power to inspire women as reasons for her inclusion.
It’s no surprise Beyonce made it onto a similar list in 2014, gracing the cover of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” issue. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg wrote in the issue, “Beyonce doesn’t just sit at the table. She builds a better one. Her secret: hard work, honesty and authenticity.”
She Promoted a Healthy Body Image
Both Beyonce and Rousey are champions of positive body images for women. In a 2014 short film titled Yours and Mine, Beyonce said, “We do not value ourselves enough. Especially young people, [who] don’t really appreciate, how brilliant our bodies are.”
Rousey, who was featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, told Elizabeth Narins of Cosmopolitan she purposely gained weight before the shoot. “I wanted to be at my most feminine shape, and I don’t feel my most attractive at 135 pounds, which is the weight I fight at,” Rousey said. “At 150 pounds, I feel like I’m at my healthiest and my strongest and my most beautiful.”
She Gave Her Belt Away
Beyonce and her husband, Jay Z, spend a good deal of time on charitable endeavors. In May, Bey visited Haiti to meet victims of the 2010 earthquake, and she and Jay are set to headline a charity concert in October.
Rousey has proved to be a generous superstar as well. After her August victory over Bethe Correia, Rousey donated her championship belt, along with $300,000, to a judo school in Brazil, where the fight was held.
She Will Star in a Movie
Beyonce is not just a singer—she is an entertainer. Queen Bey has several acting credits to her name, including Austin Powers in Goldmember and Dreamgirls. Rousey, too, has showed off her acting chops. She made cameos in the Entourage movie and Furious 7 and signed on to star in a remake of the classic Patrick Swayze film Road House.
She Took Home the Bling
Beyonce and Rousey both dominate their respective crafts, and they are recognized for it. Bey has won an incredible 20 Grammy Awards to date. In July, Rousey beat out Serena Williams for the “Best Female Athlete” ESPY Award.
Both Are Pioneers
In 2012, Ronda Rousey became the first female fighter to sign with UFC. Beyonce is herself a female pioneer. In 2003, she became the first woman to have a single and album at No. 1 on the U.S. and UK charts at the same time (“Crazy in Love” and Dangerously in Love). In August, it was announced she would become the first black female to appear on the cover of Vogue‘s September issue.
If you haven’t notice by now, UFC fighter Ronda Rousey is a pretty big deal.
Undefeated in her sport and, seemingly, everywhere on your TV and computer screen over the past few months, Rousey has shown that she has some charm behind the intensity she s…
If you haven’t notice by now, UFC fighter Ronda Rousey is a pretty big deal.
Undefeated in her sport and, seemingly, everywhere on your TV and computer screen over the past few months, Rousey has shown that she has some charm behind the intensity she shows inside of the Octagon, making her one bankable star.
And while there have been other athletes who have had amazing summers, here are 10 reasons why it’s Ronda Rousey‘s world, and we’re all just lucky enough to live in it.
