Ronda Rousey Archives - uSports.org

Ronda Rousey Pokes Fun At Joe Rogan: ‘He’s A Fan With An Audience’

Jake Iovine — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 06:57:51 +0000

Former UFC champion and WWE fighter Ronda Rousey wasn’t fond of Joe Rogan‘s fighting experience.

The 38-year-old appeared on a recent episode of the Bertcast podcast with comedian Bert Kreischer. Toward the end of the lighthearted conversation, the comedian asked Rousey about possibly returning to the ring.

After initially downplaying the idea, Rousey joked that she could “beat the s—” out of Kreischer for his house. The host said he had been in communication with the popular podcaster and UFC commentator about his fighting possibilities.

And that’s when Rousey made her stance clear.

“He wouldn’t know, he’s not an expert, he’s a fan with an audience,” she said, while Kreischer burst into laughter. “He’s never fought. Taekwondo is not fighting.”

It was a reference to Rogan having a black belt in both Taekwondo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Rousey became the first female UFC Champion in February 2013. She’s successfully defended her title six times before fighting for the last time in the UFC ring in late 2016.

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Ronda Rousey Wins SmackDown First Women’s Championship

Andrew Corselli — Mon, 09 May 2022 22:47:36 +0000

You can add a new title to Ronda Rousey’s resume: SmackDown Women’s Champion.

Previously the Raw Women’s Champion, Rousey won this crown after defeating Charlotte Flair in an I Quit submission match at WrestleMania Backlash Sunday at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, R.I.

The match saw Rousey and Flair brawl throughout the live audience, and Rousey even used kendo sticks at one point. An Armbar submission hold forced Flair to quit.

Backlash also featured Cody Rhodes beating Seth Rollins; Madcap Moss defeating Happy Corbin; Roman Reigns and The Usos taking down Drew McIntyre and RK-Bro; and others.

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Ronda Rousey Nearly Loses Finger While Filming TV Show ‘9-1-1,’ Shares Hospital Photo

Pablo Mena — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 21:51:31 +0000

Ronda Rousey may be a strong fighter, but she is not immune to bodily injuries.

The 32-year-old former WWE and UFC women’s bantamweight champion nearly lost her middle finger during an accident while shooting a scene for the Fox television show 9-1-1. Rousey shared a photo of herself on Instagram on Tuesday that showed her lying in a hospital bed with her gruesome injury, which revealed part of her finger bloodied and severed off.

“Freak accident, first take of the day a boat door fell on my hand, I thought I just jammed my fingers so I finished the take before looking,” Rousey wrote in the post’s lengthy caption.

The former mixed martial arts star then added doctors reattached her finger’s bone and tendon with plates and screws. Rousey added she was astounded by her fast recovery and said she returned to filming the following day.

IN MEMORIAM: SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019 TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

“Modern medicine amazes me, I already had 50% range of motion back in 3 days,” Rousey added in the photo’s caption.

Rousey last fought in the WWE in April, when she competed in WrestleMania. Since then, she has focused on starting a family with husband and fellow former UFC star Travis Browne. Although it remains unknown whether or not Rousey will return to WWE, she is still under contract with the pro wrestling organization. Rousey’s last UFC fight came in December 2016.

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Becky Lynch Wins Two Championships In The Main Event Of WrestleMania 35 [VIDEO]

Bill Piersa — Tue, 09 Apr 2019 16:14:43 +0000

Fans from all 50 states and 68 countries descended upon MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday for WrestleMania 35. It was a historic one.

The main event of the WWE’s flagship show was an all-female matchup. A sold-out crowd of 82,265 ate it up and the WWE pulled in $16.9 million, surpassing the previous venue record of $12.3 million set in 2013 at WrestleMania 32, which was held at AT&T Stadium at Texas.

Becky Lynch Shines At WrestleMania 35

Irish wrestler Becky Lynch beat former UFC fighter Ronda Rousey as well as Charlotte Flair and walked away with the Smackdown and Raw championships, the two flagship divisions of the WWE.

Lynch received praise for her efforts, most notably from fellow countryman and recently retired UFC fighter Conor McGregor, who tweeted: “Congrats to Irelands Becky Lynch, the WWE’s first Champ Champ. Wow! What a match these ladies put on! Ronda Rousey is something special in that ring, as is Charlotte Flair of the Flair dynasty! Stephanie McMahon you are right, I could not do what these athletes do. Or could I…”

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Lynch spoke about what the title meant to her after the event.

“Anything is possible now, man,” she said. “Anything. It’s hard to put into words how I’m feeling right now. It’s so overwhelming. I’ve worked for this my entire life, I’ve dreamed about this, I’ve obsessed about this moment and I never knew how I was going to feel.”

“I think I probably had a picture of it but there’s just so much going on in my head right now that I can’t comprehend it,” she added. “I just achieved all my dreams. I did what I said I would do and 80,000 people here supporting me and wanting me to achieve my goals and my dreams. That means the world to me and it’s only beginning.”

However, some fans weren’t pleased with the stars’ performance in the ring. After six hours of action, they expected more. Instead, they found themselves unable to know if the ref was counting when Rousey was pinned by Lynch or if she was even pinned at all or if that was really the way it was supposed to go. The word “botched” was used frequently to describe the ending.

Here are some of the best fan reactions:

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WWE 2019 Tickets On Sale Now [DATES & TICKET INFO]

Bill Piersa — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 04:45:35 +0000

WWE has seen a resurgence. With old-timers like Triple H still around, mainstream stars such as John Cena and Randy Orton and new fighters including Finn Balor, World Wrestling Entertainment is in good hands.

Get WWE Tickets now

Former UFC stars are dominating the wrestling world right now. Brock Lesnar is in the midst of a 109-day run as the WWE Universal champion. Ronda Rousey has maintained her spot as the WWE Raw Women’s champion for over half a year with a 184-day run.

The WWE also has some big news coming out recently. On Monday, fans found out that D-Generation X, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Road Dogg, Billy Gunn, Chyna, and X-Pac are the first inductees into the WWE Hall of Fame for the Class of 2019.

Then, on Tuesday, viewers can see who Daniel Bryan will face at WWE Fastlane if they tune into SmackDown Live. Bryan has held the WWE Championship title for close to 100 days now.

There’s also speculation that WWE could bring someone back to face Bryan at Wrestlemania 35. If you want to find out, keep a close eye on developments these next few weeks.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Now fans can see their favorite WWE wrestlers with the help of StubHub. WWE heads out to the War Memorial at OnCenter in Syracuse, New York on Sunday, March 3. The event kicks off at 7:00 p.m. EST. Tickets range from $24.70 to $156 on StubHub.com.

Then, WWE will head up to Utica, New York. On Saturday, March 23, they’ll appear at the Adirondack Bank Center. Tickets start at $30. Following that, the wrestlers will head south to Salisbury, Maryland. WWE Live Road To Wrestlemania is taking place in the Wicomico Civic Center on Friday, March 1. Tickets are going from $31 up to $177 on StubHub. As Wrestlemania draws closer, make sure you find a way to see your favorite stars.

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Becky Lynch Destroys Ronda Rousey On WWE Monday Night Raw, Gets Pulled From Survivor Series

Bill Piersa — Wed, 14 Nov 2018 02:15:10 +0000

Becky Lynch has quickly become a fan favorite in the WWE. After winning a title at “Hell in a Cell”, she became a headlining act for WWE’s Smackdown. But it’s her Monday Night Raw appearance that’s bringing her closer to stardom.

Becky Lynch Knocks Out Ronda Rousey

During the show’s closing moments, the Smackdown invasion began. Backstage, Lynch locked UFC Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey in the “Dis-Arm-Her” and tried to rip off her arm.

Lynch then came out to fight four of Team Raw’s wrestlers and an all-out brawl ensued when Team Smackdown members attacked from behind. During this skirmish, Lynch’s nose was broken and she bled “Irish war paint” all over herself.

Rousey even reappeared and tried to get revenge but Lynch hit her with a steel chair three times. Fans went wild for Lynch, saying “God is a woman and her name is Becky Lynch” and calling her “the best thing in the WWE.”

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

It only added to the anticipation for a Sunday night rematch between Lynch and Rousey at Survivors Series. But it appears the match will be postponed due to injury. Along with her broken nose, Lynch sustained a concussion. Those have become serious business in the WWE.

While WWE has yet to confirm this, it’s more than likely she’ll miss the fight if she does, in fact, have a concussion.

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Ronda Rousey Becomes First Woman Inducted Into UFC Hall Of Fame

Pablo Mena — Fri, 06 Jul 2018 19:15:29 +0000

On Thursday, Ronda Rousey made MMA history by becoming the first woman inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.

Ronda Rousey Inducted Into UFC Hall of Fame

Rousey, 31, was the company’s first female champion and successfully defended the women’s bantamweight title six times from 2012 to 2015. She also went on a 12-bout undefeated streak, all victories coming via submission and 11 of them coming after just one round. Rousey has also set records for four of the five quickest finishes in the history of her weight class.

In her induction speech, Rousey thanked fans for their strong support.

“I am not the first person who had the ability to do this, but I am here because I am the first person you took the time to watch,” Rousey said in her speech. “That you put the energy into supporting. Because of you, I am the first woman standing up here accepting this incredible honor. May I be the first of many.”

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In presenting Rousey with the honor on Thursday, UFC President Dana White admitted he was wrong when he stated in 2011 that women would never be able to fight in the company.

“In my almost 18 years as UFC president, I’ve learned many valuable lessons,” White said. “And the one that comes to mind tonight is never say never, especially when you’re talking to UFC. In my defense, when I famously said women would never fight in the UFC, I had never met Ronda Rousey. I had never met the woman who would change everything. She started by changing my mind and she ended up changing the world.”

Rousey also competed as a judo wrestler at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, where she won a bronze medal. She is the first American-born woman to have won this award.

SLIDESHOW: Sports Figures Who Died In 2018

Rousey also lost her last MMA match, a fight against Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 in Las Vegas in December 2016. Rousey has also had cameos or supporting roles in several Hollywood films, including Entourage (2015), Furious 7 (2015) and The Expendables 3 (2014).

Along with Conor McGregor and Brock Lesnar, Rousey has drawn some of the UFC’s highest ratings over the last four years.

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Ronda Rousey Slams Triple H Through Table At WWE Elimination Chamber 2018 [VIDEO]

Pablo Mena — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 20:02:31 +0000

Ronda Rousey officially signed her WWE contract on Sunday, and in the same day made a major splash at the Elimination Chamber event.

Ronda Rousey Triple H table bodyslam WWE video

The 31-year-old former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion body-slammed Triple H through a table upon Raw general manager Kurt Angle revealing that Triple H and his wife, Raw commissioner Stephanie McMahon had only signed Rousey as a precursor to getting revenge against her.

McMahon then stormed into the ring and slapped Rousey across the face. “Don’t you ever touch my husband,” McMahon snarled. “Who do you think you are, Ronda? Who do you think you are?”

Rousey later tweeted about the event:

It seems the stage is set for Angle and Rousey to team up and take on Triple H and McMahon at the much-anticipated WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans on April 8, WWE’s first signature event of the year.

Rousey enjoyed a long undefeated streak in UFC until Holly Holm knocked her out in the second round of a women’s bantamweight world title fight in November 2015. She did not compete for a year and when she returned, she was knocked out again, this time by Amanda Nunes, in December 2016.

Rousey had made sporadic appearances at WWE events from 2014 to 2017, but officially appeared as a contracted wrestler at the Royal Rumble earlier this year.

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 22: Ronda Rousey speaks during Reebok Women’s Luncheon, hosted by Ronda Rousey, on March 22, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Reebok)

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Ronda Rousey Officially Making Switch From UFC To WWE

Pablo Mena — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 20:29:43 +0000

Ronda Rousey is officially throwing away her UFC gloves and switching to wrestling.

Ronda Rousey switch to WWE news

The former women’s bantamweight champion (and 2008 Olympic judo bronze medallist) has been rumored to ditch mixed martial arts for some time. She made a surprise appearance at the WWE Royal Rumble in Philadelphia on Sunday night.

Rousey, who will be 31 on Thursday, told ESPN that she is fully committed to the change, and not simply considering making random appearances at major WWE events.

“This is my life now. Yeah, they have first priority on my time for the next several years,” she said. “This is not a smash and grab, this is not a publicity stunt.”

Rousey added that she will attempt to get as much sleep as possible before any major competition, as she usually does.

“That was something my mom taught me,” Rousey said Sunday afternoon, before her appearance at Royal Rumble. “Judo tournaments last all day, so you have to sleep between matches. It’s hard at first, but then it just becomes this adrenaline dump.”

Rousey — who notoriously lost to Holly Holm in a bantamweight match in November 2015 after winning 12 straight MMA fights, including six UFC bouts — met with WWE executives, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. She hung out with her longtime agent, Brad Slater, who also manages former WWE fighter and movie star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Rousey was moved to tears when Colton Toombs — the son of Rousey’s namesake, WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper — presented her with his father’s leather jacket.

“He was just such a good man,” said Rousey. “He died the night before I beat [Bethe Correia]. I didn’t spend that much time with him, but he was such a huge influence on my life. He really made me realize how big of a responsibility I have because of what he did for me mostly from afar.”

“And he was such a great example of how to deal with everything and not taking things personal,” Rousey continued. “He’s promoting, he’s an entertainer, and he always understood that, and he would make himself hated in order to entertain. And he understood that that’s what it was for, to make everybody love him.”

Though Rousey has stayed away from UFC fights, she has followed a few of the fighters she admires, specifically straw-weights Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Rose Namajunas.

“Women’s MMA is new. It’s like a little baby deer finally standing up and being able to walk on its own,” Rousey said. “It just takes a little while. Little deer is gonna walk around for a while; it’s the only way it’s gonna get stronger and better at walking. I really believe in them. I believe they’re in a place where they can keep the sport around and celebrate it for women long after I’m gone. That’s what I’m hoping.”

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Ronda Rousey, WWE Reportedly Finalizing Deal For MMA Fighter’s Switch To Wrestling

Pablo Mena — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 23:12:45 +0000

Ronda Rousey has been rumored to transition from mixed martial arts to wrestling for months, and now that switch is finally happening.

Ronda Rousey WWE wrestling deal news

The 30-year-old former UFC bantamweight champion is “finalizing details of her move to WWE,” several reports stated Wednesday.

A long-time WWE fan, Rousey borrowed her nickname “Rowdy” from Roddy Piper and eventually formed her own four-person MMA girl squad with Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir. She caused a major reaction while crashing WrestleMania 31 in March 2015 to help Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in a confrontation with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, hip tossing Triple H before grabbing hold of McMahon’s arm.

“You need to understand something, Steph,” Rousey said on the show. “Any ring I step into is mine. If you want me to leave, why don’t you make me?”

Eight months after this, Rousey suffered her first defeat to Holly Holm at UFC 193. One year after that, her MMA career seemed over after she lost to Amanda Nunes in a jaw-dropping 48 seconds at UFC 207.

UFC President Dana White recently said he holds Rousey in high regard, but added that he doesn’t believe she needs to return to the Octagon because she is financially stable.

Rousey has attended several WWE events over the years, including the recent Mae Young Classic, where she sat in the crowd cheering on Baszler. There, Rousey, Duke and Shafir reportedly encouraged WWE’s four great female wrestlers — Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Bayley — across the entrance ramp, and WWE even released a video of a confrontation between the groups in the parking lot.

Just last week, Rousey shared a video promoting her new website that actually showed footage of her training with former WWE champion and current SmackDown superstar Natalya.

With less than four months until WrestleMania 34, it appears that a match between the two groups of “Four Horsewomen” could come to pass. However, Rousey must first complete her deal with WWE and the Royal Rumble. There has never been an all-women’s Royal Rumble match. Cris “Cyborg” Justino said in September that she would like to face Rousey in a WWE ring as opposed to the Octagon.

A recently released biographical film about Rousey, “Through My Father’s Eyes,” won first place at Britain’s Crystal Palace International Film Festival, but largely focused on the earlier years of her career.

Watch Rousey’s epic double takedown at WrestleMania 31 here:

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Dana White Says He’s Not Interested In Ronda Rousey’s UFC Comeback: ‘She Refuses To Retire’

Pablo Mena — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 19:03:14 +0000

Dana White knows Ronda Rousey is planning a return to the octagon, but admits he is not paying much attention to this.

Ronda Rousey UFC return news

The UFC President said he believes the 30-year-old former women’s bantamweight champion is financially stable, so he is confused as to why she would want to make a comeback.

Rousey (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) earned six consecutive titles from 2013-2015, and hasn’t fought since December 2016, when she suffered back-to-back title losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes. The 2008 Olympic bronze medalist in women’s judo — who made her MMA pro debut in 2011 — continues to undergo random U.S. Anti-Doping Agency drug testing because she hasn’t yet officially retired.

“She has not retired,” White said on Tuesday. “USADA is still popping up at her house testing her, but she refuses to retire.”

This raises the evident question: Why not?

“I don’t know. I honestly don’t know,” White said. ” … She’s not ready to say, ‘I quit.’ She’s not ready to say, ‘I’m done,’ for whatever reason. She doesn’t tick like everyone else ticks.”

In recent years, Rousey has signed a book deal, and landed minor movie roles and other mainstream media appearances, as well as endorsement deals. Among the films she has appeared in are Furious 7 (of The Fast and the Furious franchise), The Expendables 3, and the 2015 Entourage movie.

Despite Rousey’s two losses, which knocked her down to No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA women’s bantamweight rankings, White knows her return would still likely garner plenty of interest, though not from him.

“I wouldn’t want to see it,” White told MMAjunkie. “I don’t want it to have to happen. I care about her, and she’s got enough money. She’s got enough money and all of that stuff. I don’t want to see it happen.”

Rousey also recently married UFC heavyweight Travis Browne.

In other MMA news, the annual end-of-year UFC 219 women’s featherweight matchup at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas was recently announced: Holm will face Cris “Cyborg” Justino on Dec. 30. Justino said in September she would like to face Rousey one day, although in a WWE ring.

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Featherweight Champion Cris Cyborg Says She Would Rather Fight Ronday Rousey In WWE Ring

Pablo Mena — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 16:32:50 +0000

Reigning featherweight champion Cris “Cyborg” Justino has said she is willing to fight Ronda Rousey, but in a wrestling ring as opposed to a UFC octagon.

Cris Cyborg on fight vs. Ronda Rousey News

“If Ronda is wanting to make the fight for the fans, I would still be willing to give them it,” Justino said on her website Tuesday. “But I think it would be better to take place inside the WWE ring. For her it gets her one step closer to Hollywood and for me it would be another exciting challenge and a chance to test my athletic ability.”

Justino, 32, also suggested 30-year-old Rousey would be better paired against another UFC star, who is ow a mixed martial arts pundit.

“If Ronda wants to come back for a fight,” Cyborg said, according to MMAFighting.com’s Guilherme Cruz, “I believe it’s better for her to fight Miesha Tate. I’m in another stage of my career. I wanted to fight Ronda when she was psychologically well and confident.”

Rousey’s trainer, Edmond Tarverdyan, told The MMA Hour on Monday that he would like Rousey to compete again in the UFC against the Brazilian Justino. However, Taverdyan added that he believes his mentee’s chances of an MMA return are 50-50.

Jutino’s first title defense could be against Holly Holm, who famously defeated the previously undefeated Rousey — who had been 12-0 up until then — at UFC 193 in November 2015. However, nothing has been confirmed outside of a December target date, according to MSN.com. Rousey also lost to Amanda Nunes in December 2016.

Justino (18-1) has become a dominant fighter in UFC. She is coming off a TKO victory against Tonya Evinger at UFC 214 and boasts 16 knockouts.

“When I wanted to fight her it was because she was at the top of her game and she had all of the confidence in the world,” Justino said of Rousey via her website. “She had not been KO’d twice in a row and some people were actually saying she could beat Floyd Mayweather in a fight.”

“I wanted the challenge so bad I almost killed myself trying to make the lowest weight possible just to give this fight to the fans, and she made every excuse for it not to happen.”

Both of us are now at different chapters in our careers and for me that chapter is finished.”

ANAHEIM, CA – JULY 29: Cris Cyborg of Brazil reacts to defeating Tonya Evinger during their Featherweight Title fight at UFC 214 at Honda Center on July 29, 2017 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

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ESPN Ranks World’s Most Famous Athletes, LeBron James Is No. 2

Jacob Kaye — Wed, 31 May 2017 17:55:02 +0000

Using a formula that factors in endorsements, social media followings, and internet search popularity, ESPN‘s analytics team has created a list for the one hundred most famous athletes in the world. The Cleveland Cavalier’s LeBron James comes in at number two while Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo took the number one spot.

The list, released on Tuesday, is populated most by soccer stars. With 38 soccer players on the list, no other sport even comes close. Major American sports are represented fairly heavily on the list, with 8 football players and 13 basketball players. Not a single baseball player made the list.

Four of the top 10 most famous athletes in the world come from the US – James is second, golfer Phil Mickelson is fifth, Kevin Durant is eighth, and Tiger Woods ranks tenth. In all, 35 of the 100 athletes are from the US.

Gender seems to be an issue on the list, as only eight of the 100 athletes are women. Of those eight, though, five are from the US – Ronda Rousey (16), Serena Williams (19), Simone Biles (48), Hope Solo (75), and Aly Raisman (99).

ESPN’s director of analytics Ben Alamar, was the creator of the formula. The true workings of the formula are currently unknown – Mickelson, who ranks fifth, has no social media following but does have many large endorsement deals, while Cam Newton has both, but ranks significantly lower, at number 47. It is also unknown if the formula has any way to delineate the difference between fame and infamy – a distinction that may not ultimately matter.

Here is a list of the top twenty athletes on ESPN’s list.

Cristiano Ronaldo
LeBron James
Lionel Messi
Roger Federer
Phil Mickelson
Neymar
Usain Bolt
Kevin Durant
Rafael Nadal
Tiger Woods
Stephen Curry
Novak Djokavic
Virat Kohli
Rory McIlroy
Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Ronda Rousey
Jordan Speith
Kaka
Serena Williams
Kei Nishikori

For the full ESPN World Fame 100 list, click here.

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Watch: UFC’s Derrick Lewis Slams Travis Browne In Post-Fight Interview, Hollers At Ronda Rousey

Pablo Mena — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 19:01:26 +0000

Derrick Lewis knocked out Travis Browne at UFC Fight Night 105 in Halifax, Canada on Sunday, and decided to rub more salt into his opponent’s wounds.

UFC’s Derrick Lewis Criticizes Ronda Rousey’s Boyfriend Travis Browne In Interview

In his post-game interview, Lewis called out Browne, UFC champion Ronda Rousey’s longtime boyfriend, for his alleged history of domestic violence, an accusation brought up by Browne’s ex-wife.

“I just knew I had a bigger heart than [Browne],” heavyweight Lewis, nicknamed “The Black Beast,” said in the Octagon right after his win. “He call himself a man, but he likes to put his hands on women. So, forget that guy. I got much more heart than he has.”

Lewis then directly stated he was vying for Rousey’s affections:

“Where’s Ronda Rousey’s fine a– at?” he said.

Lewis (18-4) finished off Browne (18-6-1) in the second round after knocking the latter to the floor, then landing punch after punch on Browne’s face. Some fans seemed to think the referee waited too long to stop the fight.

Later in his post-fight interview, Lewis answered a question about some lethal first-round kicks he took to his midsection.

“I just gotta do number two, that’s all,” he said. “It’s not really hurt from the kick. I just got a boo-boo.”

The 32-year-old fighter also said he feels he needs a break.

“All the training and all the sex I’ve been getting, my body needs some time off,” said Lewis, who has been trolling Browne and Rousey on social media recently.

Fans and MMA reporters immediately took to Twitter to express how great they believed Lewis’ interview was.

Its’ been a difficult stretch for both Browne and Rousey, who was knocked out in just 48 seconds by Amanda Nunes in her much-anticipated comeback at UFC 20 in December. The couple have been together since at least August 2015, shortly after Browne’s then-wife Jenna Webb, who was estranged, accused the fighter of domestic violence.

Browne has repeatedly denied those accusations.

LAS VEGAS, NV – DECEMBER 06: Travis Browne reacts against Brendan Schaub in their fight during the UFC 181 event at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on December 6, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/Getty Images)

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Amanda Nunes Apologizes To Ronda Rousey For Diss After UFC 207

Pablo Mena — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 18:23:43 +0000

Amanda Nunes has made clear she feels remorseful for her verbal jab at Ronda Rousey.

Amanda Nunes Apologizes To Ronda Rousey For Diss After UFC 207

Nunes, the UFC bantamweight women’s champion, took to Instagram on Tuesday to apologize to Rousey for some of the remarks and comments she made toward the former champion.

The pair met in the main event at UFC 207 on December 30. Merely 48 seconds into the fight, Nunes was able to defend her 135-pound title against Rousey, who turned 30 on Wednesday.

Moments after her victory, Nunes posted on Twitter an altered photo of Rousey’s face superimposed on a child in a stroller, while the 28-year-old Brazilian pushed her around.

Nunes followed up her post with strong words about the American.

“Forget Ronda Rousey,” Nunes said in her post-fight interview. “She’s going to go make movies now and retire.”

It appeared Nunes was upset at the time over the much larger promotion Rousey had received ahead of their fight, despite the fact Rousey had been upset by Holly Holm in a stunning loss over a year earlier, while the Brazilian had taken the bantamweight title. Nunes also felt the UFC had coddled Rousey by allowing her to have very few media sessions prior to their bout.

“I feel like UFC want to make it easy for her, so she doesn’t feel like she’s not the champion anymore,” Nunes told reporters before UFC 207 (via USA Today). “They want to do this to make her feel strong or something. They try to promote her so she can see that — ‘Ronda, Ronda, Ronda.’ . . .

“They want to make things more soft for her.”

However, Nunes softened her tone in her apology via Instagram on Tuesday:

“Let me take a moment to explain myself,” Nunes wrote while posting a picture of her and Rousey during their fight. “I was overwhelmed with adrenaline, emotion and hurt at the time. I held so much in during the weeks prior to my fight with Ronda. I might have said or posted some things at the time that I now realize was not the right thing to do. I want to apologize to Ronda. Her fans and mine and the UFC as well. Ronda is an amazing athlete and has done so much for this sport, especially for the women. #respect”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BP8V5wYDQXv/

Earlier on Tuesday, UFC president Dana White said he’d had a “conversation” with Rousey that led him to conclude her MMA career was “probably done.”

“She’s so competitive that, her career and record meant everything to her,” White said of Rousey. “And then once she lost, she started to say to herself, ‘What the [expletive] am I doing? This is my whole life. This is it? I want to experience and start doing other things.’ ”

LAS VEGAS, NV – DECEMBER 30: (R-L) Amanda Nunes of Brazil punches Ronda Rousey in their UFC women’s bantamweight championship bout during the UFC 207 event on December 30, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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Miesha Tate Explains Why She Backs Amanda Nunes To Beat Ronda Rousey

Pablo Mena — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 21:29:14 +0000

Miesha Tate has questioned Ronda Rousey’s mental focus while backing Rousey’s opponent, reigning champion Amanda Nunes, to win their upcoming bantamweight title fight on December 30 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Miesha Tate Explains Why She Backs Amanda Nunes To Beat Ronda Rousey

Rousey, the 29-year-old former bantamweight champion, is returning to the octagon after a year-long hiatus following her brutal knockout loss to Holly Holm last November, when she surrendered the title.

Tate, 30, announced her retirement following her recent loss to Raquel Pennington at UFC 205 and is well aware of Rousey’s strengths and weaknesses, as they previously faced each other on two occasions, both of which she lost via submission. Tate seems to believe Rousey (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) may not be the same fighter she was before given her loss to Holm.

The now-retired fighter has also thrown her weight behind “good girl” Nunes (13-4 MMA, 6-1 UFC), who defeated Tate earlier in the year to clinch the bantamweight title, claiming that she deserves the win. The Brazilian Nunes is confident she can beat Rousey, and said she has trained her entire career to fight the American.

“I guess what’s really difficult for me to decide is what we’re going to get out of Rousey,” Tate said, as quoted by Townsville Bulletin. “Is she doing it because she wants to or is she doing it before she feels obligated? Is that knockout going to be in the back of her mind? Is she going to be punch shy? It’s kind of like – I remember when I went skiing for the first time, I was like 5 years old and I just blitzed down the hill. I had no fear. The first time that I wrecked really, really hard is when I realized this is actually dangerous … so you kind of wonder what has that put in the back of her mind?”

Tate (18-7 MMA, 5-4 UFC) continued: “I know that Amanda is a very solid fighter and she hits like a ton of bricks. She’s a very worthy opponent. It should be interesting… I want Amanda to win. She’s a sweetheart and a good girl. I think she deserves it,” she added.

Caption:LAS VEGAS, NV – JANUARY 31: Miesha Tate waits for the start of of her bantamweight fight against Sara McMann during UFC 183 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on January 31, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tate won the fight by majority decision. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)

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Ronda Rousey Returning To UFC With Bantamweight Title Fight Vs Amanda Nunes

Pablo Mena — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 15:27:51 +0000

Ronda Rousey is set to return to the Octagon 13 months after losing her title in a shocking upset.

Ronda Rousey Returning To UFC With Bantamweight Title Fight Vs Amanda Nunes

The 29-year-old mixed martial artist will attempt to reclaim the UFC bantamweight title against the current champion, Amanda Nunes, at UFC 207 in Las Vegas on Dec. 30. UFC president Dana White announced the news Wednesday afternoon.

Rousey was considered a trailblazer of MMA, winning fights in only a few seconds, before she was surprisingly knocked out by the left foot of Holly Holm in November.

Since then, Rousey has largely remained out of the spotlight, compared to 2015, during which she appeared on several magazine covers as the face of the UFC. She has also suffered from multiple minor injuries.

The bantamweight division that Rousey once led has seen several different winners since she lost her title last year. Holm lost her own first title defense in March to Miesha Tate, who in turn lost to Nunes in July. Contrarily, Rousey defended the title six consecutive times from 2013 to 2015.

Rousey struggled severely against Holm, who is a former boxer. She has also gained notoriety as master of the armbar submission. However, Nunes is a Brazilian jujitsu black belt, and also has a background in judo, where Rousey got her start.

Nunes, 28, sent a message to Rousey on TMZ early Thursday: “My message to her is to say thank you, this fight’s going to change my life, my career and I hope she’s ready,” Nunes said. “I know she’s a very tough opponent, but I’m the best in the world.”

New York recently became the last state to legalize mixed martial arts. Add the return of Rousey, and it seems like a banner end to the year for the promotion, which was recently sold for $4 billion.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 01: Ronda Rousey of the United States (red) fights Bethe Correia of Brazi (blue) l in their bantamweight title fight during the UFC 190 Rousey v Correia at HSBC Arena on August 1, 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

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Dana White: Ronda Rousey Won’t Fight At UFC 205, But Her Return Will Be Huge

Pablo Mena — Fri, 26 Aug 2016 18:02:54 +0000

Ronda Rousey may return to the Octagon before the end of this year, although it won’t be at UFC 205 in November.

Dana White: Ronda Rousey Won’t Fight At UFC 205, But Her Return Will Be Huge

The former bantamweight champion (12-1) has not said much since losing in a head-kick knockout to Holly Holm at UFC 193 last November, thus snapping her undefeated streak. However, UFC President Dana White recently announced she will not fight in the Nov. 12 card at Madison Square Garden.

“She’s definitely not fighting in New York,” White said on the “UFC Unfiltered” podcast. “I’m actually going to start building the New York card this week.”

White also added that he believes Rousey’s comeback fight will be huge, so big in fact that he said it could beat every other pay-per-view on record, even the recent pair of fights between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz.

White, 47, was asked point blank by Colin Cowherd on “The Herd” on Thursday if the 29-year-old’s return would do better financially than McGregor vs. Diaz and without blinking he answered “yes”.

The date for Rousey’s return has been pushed back several times since her defeat to Holm.

Sources have told FOX Sports that she is currently in talks with the UFC regarding a possible return to action with a potential date before the end of the year, with the most probable landing spot on the Dec. 30 (UFC 207) card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Another possible return date is UFC 206, which will be held Dec. 10 in Toronto

Negotiations are ongoing and to date, Rousey and the UFC haven’t actually reached any sort of agreement on her return.

Rousey has focused on her movie career since her shocking loss to Holm. She also hosted Saturday Night Live in January, just two months after that upset. White announced in June that she had undergone arthroscopic knee surgery.

“I’m hoping we’re going to get Ronda back this year,” he said June 2. “She actually, she just had surgery on her knee yesterday. Nothing serious, just get in there and ‘scope it, clean it out a little bit.”

The PPV fight in New York is UFC’s first in the city since its 1997 ban on professional mixed martial arts (MMA) was lifted earlier this year.

Rousey, who fights out of Glendale, California, defended the UFC’s bantamweight championship six times before falling to Holm.

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OPINION: Kayla Harrison Should Take Her Talents To MMA

Lindsey Horsting — Fri, 19 Aug 2016 00:52:34 +0000

American judoka Kayla Harrison won gold in 78 kg weight class in Rio making her a back-to-back Olympic gold medalist. She has proven her identity in the sport and has formally announced her retirement. She has been likened to Rhonda Rousey, but says she’d rather be Kayla Harrison, in an interview with Sports Illustrated. Harrison has given opposing answers as to whether she would turn pro, at 26 years old she’s wise beyond her years and would bring a level of sophistication to the sport.

Rousey and Harrison have been training partners since they were young. After Rousey won bronze at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing she decided to try MMA. It wasn’t until 2010 that she made her amateur debut against Hayden Munoz and beat her by submission in 23 seconds. And so the legacy began with Rousey, she signed with UFC in 2012 as the first female fighter on their roster, and the rest is history.

Harrison has been approached by MMA to turn pro, but in a post-match presser after her win in Rio she said she wants to enjoy the moment and doesn’t think it’s the right decision for now.

“I don’t know if I’m cut out for a world where you get fights based on how pretty you are and how much you talk, and not necessarily what you’re worth in the ring,” Harrison said.

In May 2016 The Washington Post wrote a piece on how the Games are a feeder system into MMA, and in the interview Harrison said she would definitely consider it.

“It’s an opportunity that I didn’t have five years ago, six years ago,” she said. “For me, it’d be dumb of me not to consider it. I have an opportunity to make a lot of money, do something that could potentially be a lot of fun.”

Winning another Olympic gold may have given her clarity and opened her eyes as to what’s important to her. Harrison is a sensitive soul and some of her concerns with MMA have to do with being in the spotlight and under constant scrutiny. She noted that after making those comments during the presser there were social media comments supporting her decision not to turn pro because she isn’t ‘pretty’ enough. You have to admit, it’s a lot of negative attention, take the good with the bad, and there’s a lot of bad when you’re in the spotlight.

Harrison also feels that judo is a respectful sport. “After a match you shake the person’s hand and you give them a hug and you bow to them to show respect. In MMA it’s not like that,” she said.

Harrison could be the change that she might want to see in MMA, assuming she cares about it in the first place. It would give her a bigger platform to promote her foundation, Fearless, that works with victims of sexual abuse. Not to mention it would likely result in a decent paycheck and endorsements. Harrison currently is in a Liberty Mutual television ad for the Olympics, someone figured out she’s very marketable, nicely done.

Harrison talked about growing judo in the U.S. in her retirement. MMA has been one of the fastest growing sports in the last twenty years, it’s not all judo, but it is a fighting technique used. If there was a time to be involved in the sport the time is now and the person to help catapult it further is Harrison.

At this point no one knows when Rousey will return to the ring, it could be late 2016, or it could be early 2017. Hopefully she makes it back, but she might not. Harrison has all the credentials to be the poster woman for MMA.

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Ronda Rousey To Host Saturday Night Live On January 23

Joe Kozlowski — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 21:56:10 +0000

While she has been out of the spotlight since her defeat at the hands of Holly Holm, Ronda Rousey will be returning to the public eye in a big way: by hosting NBC’s Saturday Night Live later this month.

Rousey will be the first MMA fighter to host the show. She will also be starring an an upcoming remake of the movie “Road House;” she previously appeared “Expendables 3”, “Furious 7” and “Entourage” in addition to appearing at WWE’s Wrestlemania 31 and guest hosting ESPN’s Sportscenter.

Selena Gomez will be the night’s musical guest.

While she now slated to reappear in the public eye, there is still no word on when Rousey’s next fight will take place. In November, the UFC handed her a medical suspension that could last as long as six months, pending the results of her CAT scans. Her fans will surely be hoping that this appearance signals she is on the road to a full recovery and a return to the octagon.

Photo: Ronda Rousey of the United States (red) fights Bethe Correia of Brazi (blue) l in their bantamweight title fight during the UFC 190 Rousey v Correia at HSBC Arena on August 1, 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

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