Damernas bantamviktsmästare Ronda Rousey (7-0) har fått utstå en del kritik i samband med sändningen av The Ultimate Fighter 18. Rouseys agerande har fått fansen att få en ny och inte lika positiv bild av henne. Många fans har istället valt att ta parti för hennes motståndare Miesha Tate (13-4) under den pågående serien.
När UFC:s vd Dana White nyligen fick frågor om sin bantamviktsmästare tog han Rousey i försvar och förklarade att utan henne hade UFC inte haft en viktklass för damer över huvudtaget.
– It’s not the way she portrayed herself; it’s who she is. It’s why women fight in the UFC, because of her. I could care less if you don’t like her or you like her. It doesn’t matter to me. She’s the world champion, she’s badass, and she goes out to win. We were talking about it when we were flying here on the plane. One of our financial guys was basically asking if the women’s division would have got started without [Ronda Rousey]. I said, ”We wouldn’t have done it without Ronda. I wouldn’t have even done it without Ronda. You could line up all the greatest girls on earth from here to f**king Pluto. And she’s the one that when I met her, I said this chick is insanely competitive and just a different animal. She’s what it took to get women in the UFC. Hate her or not, the reason all these girls fight in the UFC is because of her, sa Dana White under mötet med media under UFC Fight Night 32.
– In the beginning everyone said I had a crush on Ronda Rousey. Are you f**king serious? Yeah, I had a crush on her, so I started women’s MMA in the UFC (sarcasm). Gina Carano was hot too, you didn’t see me bringing her into the UFC. Ronda Rousey is a different animal. She’s a different animal, I’m telling you. And I know her a lot better than all of you do.
– The thing is, with her and Miesha, she hates Miesha Tate. When she and Cat Zingano were gonna be the coaches, you heard them talk on the podium, the mutual respect. She hates Miesha Tate. Hates her. And anyone who’s ever hated somebody before knows how that feels. I’ve hated a few people in my life so I know how that feels. Yes, when you hate somebody, you might stoop low and do some things that make you look like a jackass. But, oh well.
Ronda Rousey är närmast inbokad mot Miesha Tate på huvudkortet av UFC 168 som hålls på MGM Grand Garden Arena den 28 december.
