The UFC’s anti-doping program under USADA (U.S. Anti-Doping Agency) has come with something of a learning curve for both fighters and the organization testing them. For evidence, look no further than UFC strawweight Angela Magana’s current USADA kerfuffle, which she outlined on social media earlier today. Magana (11-8), who achieved notoriety on The Ultimate Fighter […]
The UFC’s anti-doping program under USADA (U.S. Anti-Doping Agency) has come with something of a learning curve for both fighters and the organization testing them. For evidence, look no further than UFC strawweight Angela Magana’s current USADA kerfuffle, which she outlined on social media earlier today. Magana (11-8), who achieved notoriety on The Ultimate Fighter […]
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu star Mackenzie Dern has huge plans for her MMA career and is looking towards Conor McGregor for inspiration. Dern is 23-years-old and is already making a name for herself in MMA. Despite having a professional career spanning little more than eight months, the IBJJF number one ranked female black belt on the […]
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu star Mackenzie Dern has huge plans for her MMA career and is looking towards Conor McGregor for inspiration. Dern is 23-years-old and is already making a name for herself in MMA. Despite having a professional career spanning little more than eight months, the IBJJF number one ranked female black belt on the […]
Women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes was understandably angered at the UFC’s decision to only promote returning superstar Ronda Rousey prior to their main event fight at UFC 207. The questionable call came from an obvious business standpoint despite the fact that “Rowdy” was surrounded by a myriad of question marks while Nunes had been dominating
Women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes was understandably angered at the UFC’s decision to only promote returning superstar Ronda Rousey prior to their main event fight at UFC 207.
The questionable call came from an obvious business standpoint despite the fact that “Rowdy” was surrounded by a myriad of question marks while Nunes had been dominating top-level competition the entire year Rousey was absent from the sport following her first loss, a disheartening knockout to Holly Holm at 2015’s UFC 193.
It lead to a response from Nunes that many felt was a bit harsh after her 48second domination of Rousey, something the champion has since apologized for. But during a recent Q&A session prior to tonight’s (Sat., March 11, 2017) UFC Fight Night 106 from Fortaleza, Brazil (via MMA Fighting), Nunes revealed she wasn’t as angry as she was sad at the UFC’s overall treatment of the better fighter, and it made her want to punish ‘Rowdy’ more:
“I talk about anger, but I was sad. I felt alone, you know what I mean? Everything was for Ronda, and I was the champion, the best in the world. That’s why I say that. They hurt me a lot. I fought that day with anger.
“Every time I touched Ronda, connected a punch, I wanted more and more,” she continued. “That’s why the fight was so fast. Every time I connected, I felt that she couldn’t take it, so I threw more and only stopped when it was over. But it was good.
“It was great, you know? Every punch I landed in that face made me wanna laugh, but I held it. It was great.”
Photo: Mark J. Rebilas of USA Today Sports
The words make sense watching how she took her anger out on Rousey’s face that night, yet that doesn’t mean she wishes the superstar former champ, whose camp she all-out smashed in her post-fight interview, any further harm. In fact, she hopes “Rowdy” can use a change of scenery to make a successful comeback and go out with a win:
“She needs to take some time to recover. A loss is something tough. I’ve lost before, you need great people around you, your family, people giving you positive energy. I want to see Ronda coming back, her finishing her career with a win. Every athlete deserves that. I don’t want it to end this way because it’s sad.
“I won, but I don’t wish her any harm. I want her to come back and maybe, who knows, a rematch in the future? It would be perfect.”
It’s a stark departure from Nunes now, as it’s clear she’s had time to let her anger and hurt from the UFC dissipate in order to objectively view Rousey and the circumstances overall.
Still, it’s fair to question if the UFC would be better served to start promoting a dominant, stoppage-motivated champ rather than put their success on the shoulders of a fading star who may or maybe not ever return to the octagon again.
Will “Rowdy’s” career end like “The Lioness” hopes it does, or is the onetime freight train too far gone due to the faults of Edmond Tarverdyan?
Amanda Nunes has confessed that not only did she enjoy beating up former champion Ronda Rousey at UFC 207, but that it was funny. Nunes recently spoke with Combate about the details of the Ronda Rousey fight, and how she was happy that the bout ended as early as it did: “It was a 10-year old […]
Amanda Nunes has confessed that not only did she enjoy beating up former champion Ronda Rousey at UFC 207, but that it was funny. Nunes recently spoke with Combate about the details of the Ronda Rousey fight, and how she was happy that the bout ended as early as it did: “It was a 10-year old […]
One of the hottest prospects in women’s MMA seems to be having troubles making weight. Mackenzie Dern, the 23-year old Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion who many tabbed as the “next Ronda Rousey” has apparently had weight issues for the second straight fight. Dern currently competes under the LFA banner, and is 2-0 in her professional […]
One of the hottest prospects in women’s MMA seems to be having troubles making weight. Mackenzie Dern, the 23-year old Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion who many tabbed as the “next Ronda Rousey” has apparently had weight issues for the second straight fight. Dern currently competes under the LFA banner, and is 2-0 in her professional […]
It’s been almost two months since former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey suffered her second straight stoppage loss to Amanda Nunes at December 30’s UFC 207 from Las Vegas, and we still haven’t heard or seen an official public word from the “Rowdy” one herself. Sure, she released a canned thank you to her
It’s been almost two months since former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey suffered her second straight stoppage loss to Amanda Nunes at December 30’s UFC 207 from Las Vegas, and we still haven’t heard or seen an official public word from the “Rowdy” one herself.
Sure, she released a canned thank you to her fans shortly after the loss, and followed it up with a cryptic motivational quote days later. Rousey also surfaced – if you want to call it that – again on social media this week with the following Instagram post that could suggest she’s at least considering a return to the competition she once ruled for years:
That’s a speculative-at-best bit of info to go off of, yet it’s by far the most suggestive words we’ve got from Rousey in the weeks and months after her second straight devastating stoppage loss.
Her shockingly rapid downfall was of course set into motion by a vicious Holly Holm head kick in the main event of UFC 193, and many urged her to ditch her highly criticized head coach Edmond Tarverdyan and find a new camp, but she refused. That lead to another loss to the dominant Nunes, and many believed and still believe she will retire.
However, even a slim chance of her returning is big news for the UFC in their painfully tough start to 2017. With her and lightweight champion Conor McGregor’s statuses up in the air, new owners WME-IMG are finding out the hard way just how star-driven this business is, and they need both of their biggest stars back soon.
Rousey’s previously high-profile acting roles seem to be reducing a bit after two losses, and while she doesn’t need the money, fighting is in her DNA. It’s clearly going to take a broad change of scenery and philosophy, however.
What do you think? Will “Rowdy” ever return to the cage?
