“Winning!” Charlie Sheen brought the term into fashion in the national vernacular, as he used to exclaim it to celebrate and describe his lifestyle. Whether or not that’s still true (or ever was) for Mr. Sheen is up for debate, but there is one individual who has every right to use that catchphrase: Ronda Rousey. After yet another successful defense of the UFC women’s bantamweight title at UFC 184, Rousey continues to enjoy the type of success that few see in the sport of mixed martial arts. Everyone wonders what’s next for the champion, but it is clear that she has her choice of anything she wants.
Just look at the week that “Rowdy” has had. She stopped Cat Zingano on Saturday night in 14 seconds to set two UFC records — the fastest UFC title defense and the fastest submission in the organization’s modern era. It will be hard for anyone to top those accomplishments. Then in the days that followed, the World Wide Leader in sports, ESPN, published a strong piece by Ramona Shelburne, in which she called 2015 the “Year of Ronda Rousey.” Her points are hard to refute.
Rousey has a major part in the upcoming “Entourage” movie this summer. She’s been tagged for “The Athena Project” and recently “Mile 22.” There aren’t any other MMA stars that have opportunities such as these lining up at their door. An upcoming book, an apparel deal with Reebok, and even an appearance at the major entertainment conference South By Southwest are all on Rousey’s upcoming docket.
And let’s not forget that she scored the only (that’s right, only) free ticket to the upcoming fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao on May 2. Tickets for that fight are going to go for thousands of dollars and she was the only public figure that was rewarded one for free.
It’s hard to deny that she’s clearly the biggest star in the entire sport. But what’s even more important and surprising is that she has the UFC’s support for these endeavors.
The UFC is at a point where it needs its biggest stars to compete as often as possible. At a time where champions compete two times a year – if they’re lucky – the company would love to keep Rousey active. However, she has been given the promotion’s blessing to work on projects that will grow her brand to even larger proportions.
UFC President Dana White mentioned that they had a “deal” in place for Rousey to work on other projects after her defense against Zingano. That means that she may not compete again for another year. Perhaps this is in the best, as the company needs to work on developing a viable contender for her. It would be hard to believe that anyone on the roster would be able to come in as anything better than a -700 underdog. Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino, Rousey’s rival for a few years now, is currently fighting in Invicta FC, and she says that she’s unable to make the 135-pound weight limit for bantamweight.
So what and who are left for Rousey?
If Rousey took a fight against Holly Holm, Bethe Correia, or Jessica Eye, she would be leaving money on the table. She should instead work on other projects while the UFC gives these women the opportunity to compete a few more times this year to raise their respective stocks. Give them premium placement on a few upcoming cards and hope that they put on highlight-laden fights which will raise interest in them. All the while, Rousey should continue to market herself as the “UFC star” or “UFC champion” — the UFC’s brand will grow right along with hers. So of course the promotion would stand behind her, despite having failed to support others. Unlike the fighters who have banned together to file a lawsuit against the UFC, or Jon Jones, who has openly critiqued his employer for a lack of “push,” Rousey’s actions inside and outside of the cage have put her in this place.
Ramona Shelburne was on to something when she called 2015 “The Year of Ronda Rousey.” Her career has epitomized of what a professional athlete, even beyond mixed martial arts, truly craves. She’s unquestionably the best at her craft and increasing her earning potential by the minute. Take note, because Rousey is giving a lesson that everyone in the sport needs to learn.
• Ronda Rousey vs. Cat Zingano (UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship): Ronda Rousey def. Cat Zingano via submission (straight armlock) at 0:14 of Round 1.
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UFC 184: Rousey vs. Zingano (formerly UFC 184: Weidman vs. Belfort) took place on February 28, 2015 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
Click the stars to rate how good you think UFC 184 was.
