Ronda Rousey

[Vash]

I don't wear jeans unless my girlfriend picks them out and sizes them for me.

I'd need to see Ronda putting those on to make sure they're not airbrushed . . . for science.

[GeneChing]

The return of Ronda.

RONDA ROUSEY SET TO RETURN AT UFC 207
By Thomas Gerbasi October 12, 2016 UFC.com



UFC President Dana White announced Wednesday that MMA superstar Ronda Rousey will make her highly anticipated return to the Octagon on Friday, December 30 when she attempts to regain the UFC women’s bantamweight crown from champion Amanda Nunes in the main event of UFC 207.

The bout will air live on Pay-Per-View from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

How will Ronda fare in return? We break down Nunes vs Rousey

The longest reigning UFC champion in women’s MMA history, the 29-year-old Rousey held the 135-pound crown for three years from November of 2012 to November of 2015. During that time, the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist in judo went from dominant submission specialist to knockout artist and worldwide superstar, appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated and ESPN the Magazine while winning six of her seven Octagon bouts, all by knockout or submission, with four of those victories ending in 66 seconds or less. At UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia, Rousey lost her title to Holly Holm, but on December 30, “Rowdy” Ronda is back and ready to reclaim her belt.

Looking to add another signature win to her record while continuing her reign as UFC women’s bantamweight champion, Brazil’s Nunes is perhaps the only fighter capable of claiming the same ferocious finishing game as that owned by Rousey. Owner of a 6-1 UFC record, the 28-year-old “Lioness” has finished five of those wins, with the most spectacular being a first round submission victory over Miesha Tate at UFC 200 in July that earned her the world bantamweight title. Now Nunes wants to end the comeback of Rousey and move on to cement her legacy as one of the greats of the game.

Stay tuned to UFC.com for more fight card announcements and ticket on-sale dates.

[GeneChing]

Drunk History

I watch this show sometimes. Got into it waiting for Trevor. I'll have to check this ep out.

[GeneChing]

[GeneChing]

Anyone here going to tune in?

Ronda Rousey returns but it’s no easy task to recapture bantamweight belt
Updated December 29, 2016 8:36 AM
By Mark La Monica mark.lamonica@newsday.com


UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Amanda Nunes faces off with Ronda Rousey after UFC 205 Weigh-ins in preparation for their UFC 207 fight that will take place on December 30, 2016 at Madison Square Garden on November 11, 2016 in New York City. Photo Credit: Getty Images / Michael Reaves

Only six UFC fighters reclaimed title in the same weight class they lost it.

When that first guitar riff from Joan Jett’s “Bad Reputation” envelops the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for UFC 207, a comeback 412 days in the making will be official as Ronda Rousey makes her walk to the octagon.

Rousey, the former women’s bantamweight champion was last seen sitting on the floor of the octagon in Australia at UFC 193 with her face swollen and bloodied from the fists and feet of Holly Holm. Holm went home with the title that night as Rousey sat in a hospital contemplating, for a brief moment, ending her life. Her title was gone, her aura of invincibility shattered, her world crumbled in less than six minutes.

When Rousey fights against reigning champion Amanda Nunes, will her return, the one social media hashtags indicate we should “fear,” be made complete by Rousey again having that championship belt strapped around her waist? This suspense, of course, is what sells tickets and pay-per-views.

“All the greats throughout history, they’ve all lost,” UFC president Dana White said at a UFC 207 media scrum on Wednesday.

Ali lost, Tyson lost. You go through the list of all the greatest fighters that have ever lived, everybody has a loss. It’s always interesting and exciting to see if they can overcome and come back from a devastating loss like hers was.”

What Rousey, an Olympic bronze medalist in judo, is attempting at UFC 207 is no easy task, regardless of who she is and who she is fighting. In the 23-year history of the UFC, excluding interim titles, only six fighters won back their title in the same weight class they lost it.

Randy Couture first won the UFC heavyweight title in 1997, then left the UFC the next month and was stripped of his title. He won it back in 2000, lost it in his next fight, then reclaimed the belt in 2007. Couture also won the UFC light heavyweight title in 2003, lost it to Vitor Belfort four months later, then won it back from him in August 2004.

Tim Sylvia first won the heavyweight title in 2003, was stripped of it after testing positive for steroids, then won the title for a second time in 2006.

Matt Hughes lost his welterweight title to BJ Penn at UFC 46 in 2004, then became champion again after beating Georges St-Pierre 10 months later.

Georges St-Pierre lost his welterweight title to Long Island’s Matt Serra in April 2007, won an interim title against Hughes eight months later, then won the real title back from Serra in April 2008.

Cain Velasquez was knocked out by Junior Dos Santos on national television Nov. 11, 2012, then returned 13 months later to beat Dos Santos by unanimous decision to reclaim his heavyweight title.

Dominick Cruz was stripped of his bantamweight title in January 2014 after being out more than two years with various injuries. On Jan. 17, 2016, after another 16 months sidelined by injury, Cruz won a split decision over T.J. Dillashaw to be re-crowned champion.

A seventh fighter, Jose Aldo, lost his featherweight title to Conor McGregor in December 2015, won the interim title in July 2016, then was promoted to undisputed champion after McGregor was stripped of his featherweight title in November 2016.

So why is it such a difficult task for fighters to re-climb the championship mountain?

“I don’t know,” said Frankie Edgar, who defended his lightweight crown three times before losing the title and then the rematch to Benson Henderson. “It’s hard to get it in the first place.”

Many factors go into matchmaking for title fights. Marketability has become more important in recent years. Can the UFC promote the fighters in a title fight well enough to draw fans into spending their money on tickets and pay-per-view buys? Some title contenders earn their shot based on what they’ve done in the cage, while others can dictate things more so based on how their work in the cage translates financially.

For example, McGregor is an immensely talented fighter. He won the featherweight title in December 2015 then fought three times since — none of which were at featherweight. Those four fights are among the seven largest gates in UFC history. He was allowed to challenge Rafael Dos Anjos last March for his lightweight title, which was scrapped when Dos Anjos was injured in training. In November, McGregor challenged Eddie Alvarez for his lightweight belt and won to become the UFC’s first two-weight champion. (He later was stripped of the featherweight title.)

“I couldn’t even write it up or imagine it because I just don’t really know what’s on going on,” said Edgar, a top featherweight title contender, last month during UFC 205 week in Manhattan. “There’s really no rhyme or reason to who gets title shots lately. I just need to keep winning fights to put myself in the discussion and see what happens, really.”

Fighter health and timing are critical, as well. Just ask Chris Weidman, the former middleweight champion who was forced to pull out of a June 2016 rematch with then champion Luke Rockhold because of a neck injury.

“It was a rematch for the belt,” Weidman said at the time. “I don’t know when I’m going to get that opportunity again. Nothing’s guaranteed.”

Michael Bisping replaced Weidman, knocked out Rockhold, then defended his title against No. 14 ranked Dan Henderson. Weidman lost to Yoel Romero at UFC 205 in Manhattan last month in what was presumed to be a fight to determine the next title shot.

Beyond the physical and financial, there is the mental aspect. MMA is an individual sport. No matter how many instructors they train with, how many sparring partners they work with, all fighters understand the reality when the cage door closes. It’s one person against the other. One person will succeed. One person will fail.

“The internal dialogue can be really quite negative, quite nasty,” said Kristen Dieffenbach, an executive board member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.

Rousey said on Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show last February that she had suicidal thoughts the night she lost to Holm.

“You don’t get to that level of athletics without a very high level of drive and some very high self-expectations,” Dieffenbach said. “You want to achieve, you’re driven to achieve. Even if it’s not the medals that you’re after. There has to be an intrinsic motivation that’s performance pride. When you’re in that immediate moment and post-moment of competition when you didn’t achieve, it’s very hard to separate that intrinsic ‘proud of my performance’ from the sting of losing very publicly.”

Rousey’s loss came in front of the largest crowd ever for a UFC event — 56,214 fans at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Australia.

Rousey has waged a UFC-sanctioned blackout of MMA media since her return was announced. She has appeared on Conan O’Brien’s and Ellen DeGeneres’ talk shows, was the subject of a featured article in ESPN The Magazine and cut various UFC promos. But there was no conference call with Rousey or Nunes, and Rousey was not at any media opportunities this week in Las Vegas.

“Some see going after a second title as a huge challenge, bring it on, can’t wait to prove I can do it twice,” said Dieffenbach, who has never met or worked with Rousey. “For other athletes, it becomes very intimidating, what if I can’t do it again. The anxiety about ‘What if I can’t?’ can become pretty overwhelming. The fact that she’s coming back speaks potentially to some pretty great resiliency as an athlete.”

Oh hold the phone...is Dana copping a little backhand underboob feel on Amanda?

[PalmStriker]

A good read, This is the Fight everyone has been waiting for whether she pulls it off or not !

[GeneChing]

Well that was quick.

[PalmStriker]

One of those "I want my money back! fights". LOL. Ronda won't get another crack at it, her day is done. Not a flattering mug shot of her clocking out, either. http://www.latimes.com/sports/boxing...htmlstory.html

[Jimbo]

I've said it before: You cannot have one foot in the fight business and the other foot in Hollywood. Each pursuit alone requires tons of talent, hard work and commitment. One or the other (or both) will suffer. Most of the time it's the fighting that suffers.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Well that was quick.

Between this and Trump, I made 500 bucks, LOL !
Too bad I can't pick the lottery numbers as easily.

[sanjuro_ronin]

As any fighter will tell you, once you have been tagged hard, it is far easier for it to happen again.
As such, leading with your face is not a good idea.

[GeneChing]

...which is why this article appears in Forbes.

AUG 11, 2017 @ 08:22 AM
WWE Is One Step Closer To Landing Ronda Rousey

Blake Oestriecher , CONTRIBUTOR
I examine the effect that sports have on business...and vice versa.
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
WWE and Ronda Rousey could soon join forces.


Credit: WWE.com

According to a report from Fightful.com, Rousey has done some basic pro wrestling training and is interested in stepping into the squared circle:

Ronda Rousey has expressed interest in a pro wrestling run, and has went as far as to learn some of the basics from a WWE Superstar...An employee backstage in WWE told us that Rousey spoke to Triple H to set up her appearance with fellow Four Horsewomen members at the Mae Young Classic. According to sources, WWE had referred Rousey and company to current superstar Brian Kendrick for training purposes in Southern California. You may remember that WWE had referred recently released Eva Marie to Kendrick as well.

There was also buzz backstage at the tournament -- mainly among WWE employees and contractors -- that Rousey's training would start soon. She's taken some basic bumps among other things thus far.

The budding relationship between WWE and Rousey is one of the worst kept secrets in professional wrestling.

WWE has had no issues with publicizing anything Rousey has done in relation to the pro wrestling juggernaut. WWE.com did a write-up on Rousey's appearance at the Mae Young Classic tapings this summer while the site also recently featured a poll asking fans which female superstar they'd like to see Rousey face in WWE.


Credit: WWE.com

After Rousey's appearance alongside The Rock at WrestleMania 31 in 2015, WWE.com even pondered whether or not Stephanie McMahon would be willing to sign Rousey, something McMahon told TMZ last November that she certainly wants to do, even indicating that she'd like to see Rousey headline a WrestleMania once her UFC career was over.

And all indications are that Rousey is done in MMA.

MMA & WWE & Ronda Rousey

[GeneChing]

Okay, I'm new to this whole Four Horsewomen thing, but I'm thinking an 8-woman cage match. Think they like nacho sauce? Asking for a friend.

Ronda Rousey On How The 'Four Horsewomen' Name Was Created And What's Next For Her
By Doric Sam | September 13, 2017



Source: ESPN

Ronda Rousey has been present for the Mae Young Classic to support her good friend and "stablemate" Shayna Baszler, who lost in the finals Tuesday night to Kairi Sane. After the match, Rousey spoke to ESPN about Baszler's performance and how the famed "Four Horsewomen" formed.

Along with Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir, Rousey and Baszler dubbed themselves the "Four Horsewomen" as a way to pay homage to the legendary Four Horsemen. They even received a blessing from Ric Flair to use the name. Rousey revealed to ESPN that it actually wasn't them who came up with the name, but rather the fans who bestowed it upon them.

"We were all sitting on the couch and some fans were asking for the picture, to recreate the iconic Four Horsemen picture," Rousey explained. "We were like, 'What do we have around the house? We got two belts, we got a medal, we got a machete. We can do this!' We didn't know at that moment that it would turn into something. It wasn't something we named ourselves, it was a name the fans gave to us and we're very grateful for it."

Rousey has been relatively outside of the public eye since her loss to Amanda Nunes in December at UFC 207. When asked what's next for her, Rousey preferred to keep the spotlight on her friend.

"I don't want to come to Shayna's event on Shayna's night and sit here talk about myself," she said. "I want to keep tonight all about her. Go Shayna Baszler!"

WWE & Ronda

[GeneChing]

Honestly, I'd go see a WWE event live if I had a chance to meet Ronda.

DEC 7, 2017 @ 12:00 AM 3,224 The Little Black Book of Billionaire Secrets
Ronda Rousey Reportedly Set To Finalize Contract With The WWE
Brian Mazique , CONTRIBUTOR
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

The details haven't been revealed, but one of the worst-kept secrets in MMA and professional wrestling seems to be moving closer to a complete reveal.


LAS VEGAS, NV - SEPTEMBER 12: (L-R) WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon, MMA fighter Ronda Rousey and WWE Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events and Creative Paul 'Triple H' Levesque appear on the red carpet of the WWE Mae Young Classic on September 12, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bryan Steffy/Getty Images for WWE)

Per USA Today, former UFC women's bantamweight champion and mixed martial arts pioneer Ronda Rousey is reportedly close to finalizing a deal to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a WWE superstar. Rousey has teased a career with the WWE and even appeared at WrestleMania, but Wednesday's story looks like the most definitive information on an official career change.

UFC President Dana White recently talked down a potential return to the Octagon and seemed more in favor of Rousey pursuing other endeavors outside of the promotion. It's easy to imagine one of those options might include a career in the WWE.

It seems doubtful Rousey would ever become a full-time WWE wrestler. The schedule required is a rigorous one that wouldn't allow her to do the movies and TV appearances she has made in recent years.

A part-time schedule similar to the one Brock Lesnar enjoys seems much more realistic. The WWE already planted a seed for a future feud between Rousey and Charlotte Flair. It's likely this will be the angle Rousey works once she actually makes her debut on WWE television.

MMA & WWE & Ronda Rousey

[GeneChing]

I'm actually more likely to find a pay-per-view to watch this than I would to watch a UFC bout. Is that wrong?

Ronda Rousey.

by Jon Fuentes SENIOR WRITER
Ronda Rousey and WWE seem to have reached a deal
Published 20 hours ago

It looks like the WWE and Ronda Rousey have finally agreed to a deal that will bring the former UFC women's bantamweight champion to the world of professional wrestling.

The former UFC star was one of the most dominant names in mixed martial arts (MMA) for several years as she went undefeated inside the cage. After dominating the female 135-pound division for so long, however, she met her match against Holly Holm back in November of 2015.

Holm defeated Rousey for the first time in her fighting career via second round knockout with a head-kick to the neck. After a year Rousey returned to the Octagon only to suffer another knockout loss, this time to Amanda Nunes just 48 seconds into the first round.

After the fight Rousey has yet to make an official announcement on her future as a fighter, however, it's expected that we've seen the last of her inside the Octagon.

Now Rousey seems primed for a career in professional wrestling, and has been rumored to be in negotiations with WWE for some time now.

WWE teased a partnership with Rousey at the Mae Young Classic when she was confronted by The Four Horsewomen of wrestling.

It was also rumored that she has been training for her in-ring debut with former WWE Cruiserweight Champion Brian Kendrick.

Last week TMZ caught Triple H, Rousey, and her agent having dinner at a top of the line LA restaurant, possibly discussing business.

It seems that business negotiation has concluded, as a report from PWStream claims a deal between Rousey and the WWE has been completed.

PWStream notes that it's unlikely we see Rousey at the Royal Rumble, unless they're desperate for mainstream attention, but she'll likely be at WrestleMania 34:

It should be interesting to see who WWE pairs Rousey up with for her in-ring debut with the company at WrestleMania

MMA & WWE & Ronda Rousey