Ring Girl Arianny Celeste Calls Ronda Rousey A Bully
It appears the war of words continues between Ronda Rousey and Arianny Celeste. Celeste, a UFC ring girl, has been going back and forth with the undisputed UFC Bantamweight champion of the world for quite some time, and it appears the latest comment from Rousey brought this riff to a fever pitch — she simply stated that women fighters should get paid more than ring girls.
Well on MMA Junkie radio, Celeste bashed these comments and called out Ronda.
“The people in the MMA world can be pretty harsh. I used to care about things like that, but now I don’t. I don’t let myself look at blogs or anything like that because I don’t want to see anything that’s going to hurt my feelings or piss me off — because sometimes I tend to talk back. I’m not a pushover and I’m not a hardass, but I definitely will defend myself if I need to.”
“I think people don’t realize how much work it is to be a model, be a host, be an Octagon Girl. Not only are you walking around in a bathing suit where people are critiquing you for that, but try having a camera in your face and showing your personality and being a host of a TV show.”
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As for her thoughts on Rousey, “I’m not going to talk about her because I’m not a fighter. I’m not going to waste my time. I actually don’t talk about anyone. It blows my mind that someone who doesn’t even know me continuously picks on me. And that’s all I see her as: a big bully.”
And in yesterday’s media build up for UFC 184’s bout between Ronda Rousey and Cat Zingano, the champ talked about being called “a big bully.” “What did I say that I was a bully. I said that the fighters should get paid more than the ring girls. That doesn’t make me a bully, that makes me f–king right.”
“I’m sorry, but she wouldn’t have a job if it wasn’t for the fighters. She wouldn’t. Do you think her walking in circles around the two guys or two girls out there like, fighting for their lives is worth more? You think she works harder than they do? I didn’t say that she needed a pay cut. I said either the ring card girls are paid too much or the fighters aren’t paid enough.”
She went on to talk about the actual position and ring girls that she respects:
“I’ve got a lot of respect for Brittney Palmer. She went and became a ring card girl to pay her way through art school and become a renowned artist. And her being a ring card girl helped promote her art. If you’re working at Hooters, because you’re trying to pay your way through medical school? Then f*cking work it, girl. I respect the hustle. But don’t think you’re hot sh*t just because you work at Hooters. Use it to further yourself in life. Don’t think that you’re awesome just because you do that.”
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