Video: Countdown To UFC 184

February 19, 2015, 9:19 am

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UFC premiered the full "Countdown to UFC 184" preview show on Wednesday evening, which looks at the top two fights heading into next Saturday's pay-per-view card. Above is the "Countdown" video for the main event of the show, which features UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey defending her title against undefeated number one contender Cat Zingano. Below is the video for the co-main event for the show, which features former Women's boxing champion Holly Holm making her UFC debut against Ultimate Fighter alum Raquel Pennington. Make sure to visit MMANews.com on Saturday, February 28th for the best UFC 184 live results coverage on the web!

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Ronda Rousey Rips Into “Mama’s Basement Blogger” For Doubting Women’s MMA

February 19, 2015, 9:55 am

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UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey ripped into a reporter during Wednesday's UFC 184 media conference call when asked if the lack of a male presence at the top of next Saturday's card will hurt the Women's MMA cause. According to the reporter who asked the question, the buys for the pay-per-view could potentially suffer without a male presence in one of the top two fights featured on the event. Rousey, however, was quick to disagree. "Well I think it's a great opportunity to be able to prove something," Rousey responded. "But otherwise, you know, it is what it is. There was 46 UFC events last year. I think that's something like 20 to 30 percent more than they ever did the year before that. "There's a lot of factors that affect pay-per-view. But you know what, I think that this card is going to perform extremely well, and compared to the guys, I think it's going to hang in there and be respectable, and that's why they have enough faith to put us in there. The UFC has been around for more than 20 years. They know how business works and they're not going to put together a card like this if they think it's going to fail." Rousey's opponent for next Saturday, undefeated number one Women's Bantamweight contender Cat Zingano, was quick to agree. "Us women, we go out there and we've already proven enough," Zingano said. "Women's MMA has come a really long way, and in my opinion, just from the people I talk to or the responses that I get, or the responses that I see from multiple people just everywhere, people look forward to us fighting. They get excited. "You can have a fight card full of male fights, but yet when that women's fight comes on, that's what people want. They're super excited by it. So I have to agree. I think the UFC was smart with the choice that they're making, and all of us girls are going to go out there and do what we do and prove why we're out there. It'll be exciting." It was at this point that Rousey started to lose her cool. With the tone of her voice quickly sounding more serious, Rousey offered a few more comments. "You even asking the question, it really proves that there ain't equality for women yet," Rousey said. "If they put up a men's 125-pound main and co-main event, people wouldn't be asking the question, ‘Oh, if this doesn't sell very well, we might just get rid of the whole men's division.' Why are we still even asking this question? Do you remember the last time you asked that question to a guy? "You know what, lighter divisions are a turn off for some people, but you don't ask them about that. Like, ‘Oh, don't people just want to see heavyweights?' Your kind of opinion is the thing that we're trying to change. You are what we need to change about this culture." Rousey concluded, "That's the difference between a journalist and a mama's basement blogger. It's not trying to get any actual information and report the news, it's just trying to get a rise out of people, which is really unprofessional. I know what a journalist is supposed to look like and supposed to behave and that guy wasn't it. But whatever. Not everybody can be good at their job." You can listen to the complete UFC 184 media conference call by clicking here. H/T For Transcribing: MMAFighting.com.

Rousey, Zingano Pass Out-Of-Competition Drug Tests For UFC 184

February 19, 2015, 11:46 am

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As things stand now, next Saturday's UFC 184 main event is a go, as both Ronda Rousey and Cat Zingano have passed their pre-fight drug tests. Rousey and Zingano both passed random, out-of-competition drug tests and have been officially cleared to compete by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC), which is the commission that will oversee next Saturday's UFC event at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The two UFC Women's Bantamweight combatants were given urine tests ahead of their Feb. 28th bout, with both tests coming back clean on Thursday. The two are set to be tested again immediately after the fight next Saturday night in L.A. Make sure to visit MMANews.com on Saturday, February 28th for the best UFC 184 live results coverage on the web!

Why Ronda Rousey vs. Cat Zingano Is So Interesting For The Future Of Women’s MMA

February 24, 2015, 10:05 am

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UFC 184 will be a spectacle of some of the best in women's MMA. It's hard to imagine the growth of the 135 pound division or the category at all without the trajectory of Ronda Rousey. Since joining the UFC two years ago, Rousey has not only complimented her flawless 10-0 record, she has accentuated it with brutal finishes of all of her opponents. As the bantamweight champion steps upon the threshold of eternal greatness, she has one of the biggest tasks at hand at UFC 184 in Cat Zingano. The MMA native whose record is also an unscratched 9-0, will meet Rousey in the Octagon ehile being escorted by one of the worst years of her life. Before season 18 of the Ultimate Fighter, Zingano's path to the title was disrupted by a crippling knee injury. In the midst of her accendance to the title, Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate round two, wrote itself into the blank space Zingano left during her injury lapse. As Ronda continued to dominant the landscape of the bantamweight division, Zingano repaired herself to resurrect for her first chance at UFC gold. Unfortunately her claim would be cut severely short when her husband took his own life. The tragic circumstances kept Zingano out of the sport longer than anticipated. It is the colours of this story that will aid in providing fans with such a compelling match up. Both women have immense respect for one another-- I would assume on Ronda's behalf it is partly due to her own struggles with her fathers suicide. But despite just this, the belief that both women understand who they are up against makes the depth of this fight important. Ronda Rousey is one of the sports most obsessive athletes. Her outstanding drive that has been a habit built into her whole life is what grants her such intimidating presence. Like most champions, after a long streak of dominance, we question whether they are beatable. Having Zingano take responsibility of this question makes this fight exciting. However what makes it epic is the perseverance she has developed from her year from hell. Taking into account that Zingano has rebuilt herself in the shambles of such a tragic time frame, her mental edge will aid her in resisting Rousey's intimidating aura. But also, if Zingano is to beat the champion she can single-handedly write one of the most amazing stories in MMA history. Boxing veteran Holly Holm is set to make her MMA debut against Raquel Pennington at UFC 184 and she believes 'women's MMA would benefit greatly if Rousey lost'. Her words are not unconventional, in fact their logical. If we examine the divisions who have recently lost their reigning champions, we can agree whole heartedly. In most cases such as in middleweight with Chris Weidman or welterweight with Robbie Lawler, unpredictable circumstances will draw more interest from fans across all weight classes. Although Georges St Pierre was one of my absolute favourite fighters, the division he left behind is brimming with potential firecracker match ups. It has opened up a world of possibilities and Zingano can be the craftsman of this for the bantamweight division of she defeats Rousey. I believe that because Ronda so sternly determines to retire with her belt that not even a bull could out muscle her. But she is human and failure may discard your invincibility, it does however, make you more great. As a women who will forever feel unfulfilled by not attaining Olympic gold, she can understand the workings of failure. It can also provide a radiant story line for revenge.

UFC 184 Predictions & In-Depth Analysis

February 25, 2015, 3:02 pm

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This Saturday night, Women's MMA will be in the spotlight, as for the first time in history a UFC pay-per-view will feature an all-female main event and co-main event. The undefeated face of Women's MMA, Rnoda Rousey, will defend her UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship against undefeated number one contender Cat Zingano in the headline attraction at the UFC 184 pay-per-view. The event will be co-supported by a Women's Bantamweight contender bout, as former female boxing champion Holly Holm makes her Octagon debut against Ultimate Fighter veteran Raquel Pennington in the co-main event of the evening. One night prior to UFC 184, Cristiane "Cyborg" Justino will look to help set the stage for a potential UFC mega-fight with Rousey, as she defends her Invicta FC Featherweight Championship against Charmaine Tweet just 24-hours before the Rousey-Zingano bout in the same city. With that being said, let's take a closer look at the pay-per-view portion of Saturday's UFC fight card. Tony Ferguson (17-3) vs. Gleison Tibau (33-10) Boone's Breakdown: Opening up Saturday's UFC pay-per-view card will be a battle of longtime veterans of the sport. Tibau in particular has been around for what seems like forever. He has been fighting exclusively for the UFC since 2007, compiling a 15-7 record inside the Octagon, with an overall MMA record of 33-10. Tibau has been able to stay relevant for years now, and he does so by staying durable. On Saturday night, his durability will no doubt be tested, as he faces a total stud in Tony Ferguson. Ferguson exploded on the UFC scene after a solid outing on The Ultimate Fighter, and is one of those fighters who seems to get better and more well-rounded with each trip to the cage. I expect nothing different on Saturday night, as I've got to put my money on "El Cucuy." Boone's Prediction: Tony Ferguson Alan Jouban (10-3) vs. Richard Walsh (8-2) Boone's Breakdown: A battle of un-ranked Welterweight prospects, both of whom sport a 1-1 record in the UFC with a loss in their last outing, is the one die-hard fight fan bout on the card, in the sense that if you're not a die-hard fan, you probably have no idea who these two are. If you are, in fact, unaware of Jouban and Walsh, you could be in for a treat in terms of the way their styles match up. Other half of each fighters' victories throughout their MMA careers have come by way of knockout or technical knockout. On Saturday night, one of these two will likely add another victim to that list. If you go with the experts on this one, Jouban will be the one to move forward, while Walsh takes another step backward. I tend to agree. Boone's Prediction: Alan Jouban Jake Ellenberger (29-9) vs. Josh Koscheck (17-8) Boone's Breakdown: This fight seems to be incredibly overlooked. Personally speaking, I'm very excited for the Ellenberger vs. Koscheck showdown on Saturday night. Sure, both guys are past their prime and likely won't be competing for a title ever again, but they're both still relevant and both are still legitimate fighters. Ellenberger still manages to remain in the top 15 ranked fighters in the division, coming in at number 11 at 170-pounds following a tough loss to up-and-comer Kelvin Gastelum in his last Octagon appearance. Meanwhile, Koscheck, a two-time title contender, has fallen out of the top 15 and for the first time in his career, will look to return from an 0-3 run inside the cage. Is Ellenberger the proper opponent to get "Kos" back to the winners column? The Vegas odds would say no, but I've got to disagree. I feel Ellenberger is outmatched by Koscheck in most areas, and when all is said and done, I see The Ultimate Fighter season one getting his hand raised. Boone's Prediction: Josh Koscheck Continued on page two ...

Arianny Celeste Calls Ronda Rousey A “Bully,” Rousey Responds

February 26, 2015, 9:54 am

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UFC Octagon girl Arianny Celeste is not taking kindly to Ronda Rousey's recent statement that fighters should make more than UFC's Octagon girls. The longtime UFC employee told the folks at MMA Junkie Radio earlier this week that Rousey is a "big bully" who "continuously picks on me.." Rousey, however, has a different take. "What did I say that was a bully?" Rousey said at a recent media scrum, which you can watch above via MMAFighting.com. "That the fighters should get paid more than the ring girls? How does that make me a bully? That makes me f*cking right. I'm sorry, but she wouldn't have a job if it wasn't for the fighters. She wouldn't. You think her walking in circles around the two guys or two girls out there fighting for their lives is worth more? Think she works harder than they do?" In 2012, Rousey took some shots at Celeste when the two were both ranked in Maxim's Hot 100 list. Rousey, who was not in the UFC at the time, stated the following: "It would have been really funny if I'd beaten Arianny Celeste, because that would be like a triathlete coming along and beating the runners in a marathon," Rousey said at the time. "Like, ‘Haha, it's your job to show your t*ts - I do that better than you!' Maybe next year. She's only getting older, and I'm reaching my prime." During her radio appearance earlier this week, Celeste elaborated on her position, explaining why she tries to separate herself from the "MMA world." "I'm not going to talk about her because I'm not a fighter," Celeste said. "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." Rousey feels Celeste is taking things personally, and offered a bit of advice for the UFC employee. "You know what would have been the best thing for her to say?" Rousey said. "'Oh my God, you know, these fighters work so hard and I wouldn't have a job if it wasn't for them. I just admire them so much. And yeah, I definitely think that they should get paid more than anybody in the arena tonight.' There ya go. That's a PR lesson for her." While Rousey may not be Celeste's biggest fan, she did explain that she has no issue with Octagon girls in general, pointing out the fact that she has respect for UFC Octagon girl Brittney Palmer. "She went and became a ring card girl to pay her way through art school and become a renowned artist," Rousey said. "And her being ring card girl helps her promote her art. If you're working at Hooters because you're trying to pay your way through medical school, then f*ckin' 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. I'm sorry, but I'm not impressed with the job in itself." Rousey makes her Octagon return at UFC 184 this Saturday night in Los Angeles, California, as she defends the UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship against undefeated number one contender Cat Zingano.

UFC 184 Weigh-In Results (Video Included)

February 27, 2015, 2:40 pm

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The following are the official weigh-in results for Saturday night's UFC 184 pay-per-view event, which takes place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The weigh-ins, which you can watch via the YouTube player embedded above, are scheduled to begin at approximately 7pm EST. UFC 184 Main Card (10pm EST.) - Ronda Rousey (135 lbs.) vs. Cat Zingano (134.5 lbs.) - Raquel Pennington (135.5 lbs.) vs. Holly Holm (135.5 lbs.) - Jake Ellenberger (171 lbs.) vs. Josh Koscheck (170.5 lbs.) - Alan Jouban (170.5 lbs.) vs. Richard Walsh (171 lbs.) - Tony Ferguson (156 lbs.) vs. Gleison Tibau (155 lbs.) UFC 184 FS1 Prelim Card (8pm EST.) - Mark Muñoz (187.25 lbs.*) vs. Roan Carneiro (184.5 lbs.) - Roman Salazar (135 lbs.) vs. Norifumi Yamamoto (136 lbs.) - Dhiego Lima (170 lbs.) vs. Tim Means (170 lbs.) - Derrick Lewis (263 lbs.) vs. Ruan Potts (253 lbs.) UFC 184 Fight Pass Prelim Card (7pm EST.) - James Krause (155 lbs.) vs. Valmir Lazaro (155.5 lbs.) - Masio Fullen (145 lbs.) vs. Alexander Torres (145.5 lbs.) * Muñoz has two hours to drop 1.25 lbs. Make sure to join us here at MMANews.com on Saturday for the best UFC 184 live results coverage on the web!

Invicta FC 11 “Cyborg vs. Tweet” Results – February 27, 2015

February 28, 2015, 8:32 am

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The following are quick-match results of the Invicta FC 11 "Cyborg vs. Tweet" event, which took place on Friday, February 27th at the Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles, California. - Invicta Featherweight Title: Cristiane Justino def. Charmaine Tweet by TKO (punches) at 0:46 of Round One - Strawweight: Alexa Grasso def. Mizuki Inoue by unanimous decision (30-26, 29-28 x2) - Strawweight: DeAnna Bennett def. Norma Rueda Center by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2) - Bantamweight: Irene Aldana def. Colleen Schneider by submision (rear-naked choke) at 1:05 of Round One - Strawweight: Jamie Moyle def. J.J. Aldrich by technical submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:20 of Round One - Strawweight: Amy Montenegro def. Brianna van Buren by unanimous decision(30-27, 29-28 x2) - Flyweight: Christine Stanley def. Laura Salazar by TKO (punches) at 2:59 of Round One - Flyweight: Aspen Ladd def. Ana Carolina Vidal by TKO (punches and elbows) at 4:21 of Round One

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UFC 184 Fighter Salaries: Ellenberger Edges Out Rousey For Biggest Purse

March 2, 2015, 3:05 pm

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The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) has released the reported fighter payouts for this past Saturday's UFC 184: Rousey vs. Zingano pay-per-view event. Rousey, who made quick work of number one contender Cat Zingano, submitting the previously undefeated prospect in just 14 seconds, earned $130,000 to Zingano's $100,000, according to figures released by the CSAC. Interestingly enough, UFC Welterweight contender Jake Ellenberger topped the list, pulling down a $136,000 payday for his submission victory over former title contender Josh Koscheck. Below are the disclosed fighter salaries for UFC 184, which as always, do not include the many unreported bonuses and other income fighters generate from competing on the event. UFC 184 Pay-Per-View Fights - Ronda Rousey ($65,000 + $65,000 = $130,000) def. Cat Zingano ($100,000) - Holly Holm ($25,000 + $25,000 = $50,000) def. Raquel Pennington ($10,000) - Jake Ellenberger ($68,000 + $68,000 = $136,000) def. Josh Koscheck ($78,000) - Alan Jouban ($10,000 + $10,000 = $20,000) def. Richard Walsh ($8,000) - Tony Ferguson ($24,000 + $24,000 = $48,000) def. Gleison Tibau ($50,000) UFC 184 FS1 Preliminary Fights - Roan Carneiro ($12,000 + $12,000 = $24,000) def. Mark Munoz ($47,000) - Roman Salazar ($8,000) vs. Norifumi Yamamoto ($15,000) ruled a no contest - Tim Means ($17,000 + $17,000 = $34,000) def. Dhiego Lima ($10,000) - Derrick Lewis ($15,000 + $15,000 = $30,000) def. Ruan Potts ($10,000) UFC 184 Fight Pass Preliminary Fights - Valmir Lazaro ($8,000 + $8,000 = $16,000) def. James Krause ($15,000) - Masio Fullen ($8,000 + $8,000 = $16,000) def. Alexander Torres ($8,000)

Ronda Rousey’s Mom Takes A Shot At Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino

March 3, 2015, 2:43 pm

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Ronda Rousey's mother, Dr. AnnMaria De Mars, has officially entered the Ronda Rousey vs. Cristiane "Cyborg" Justino trash-talk picture. The former champion-level Judoka took a shot at Cyborg on Twitter after the Invicta FC Featherweight Champion gave Rousey a zinger. Cyborg wrote, "Hey Ronda Rousey, let me know if you need Lorenzo's phone number. #championVSchampion." This didn't sit well with Rousey's mother, as she replied directly to Cyborg by saying, "I'll give ya a number -- 135." De Mars is obviously referring to the 135-pound Bantamweight limit, a weight that Cyborg has never fought at and is being required to make at least once before UFC President Dana White even considers booking a Rousey-Cyborg super fight.

@criscyborg @MMARoasted @RondaRousey I'll give you a number - 135

— DrAnnMaria (@DrAnnMaria) March 2, 2015

UFC 184 Expected To Finish With Excellent PPV Buyrate

March 5, 2015, 8:38 am

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While no official numbers are in as of yet, the UFC 184 pay-per-view from this past Saturday night, which featured Ronda Rousey vs. Cat Zingano and Holly Holm vs. Raquel Pennington as the top two matches, appears to have drawn an excellent buyrate. According to early estimates stemming from DirecTV numbers, along with other pay-per-view tracking sources, the UFC 184 pay-per-view is expected to finish somewhere in the 500,000 buy-range. When the actual number comes in, we'll be sure to provide an update. H/T: Dave Meltzer and F4WOnline.com

Ronda Rousey: “I Could Beat 100 Percent Of UFC’s Male Bantamweight Fighters”

March 5, 2015, 12:59 pm

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Following her 14-second destruction of the previously undefeated Cat Zingano at UFC 184 this past Saturday night, UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey turned some heads with comments she made during an appearance on the ESPN program "SportsCenter." Rousey, who appeared on the sports talk show on Thursday, stated that she "could beat 100 percent" of the UFC Men's Bantamweight fighters. "I never say that I'm incapable of beating anybody, because I don't believe in putting limits on myself," said Rousey. "So I mean, I would have to say if you're just talking about what's in the realm of possibility of what's possible of who I could beat, well I could beat 100 percent of them. You can't tell me that there's a zero percent chance that I can beat anyone on the planet, so I'm never gonna say that." Rousey continued, "It's not that they're lacking anything so much. They decided later in life that they wanted to be a fighter. A lot of these girls already developed a personality and had a life and one day they decided, 'I'm gonna give it a try.' Whereas, this is literally what I was raised to do." Looking back on her dominant performance over Zingano this past weekend at UFC 184, which may have been ordered by more than 500,000 homes on pay-per-view, Rousey said she felt it was nearly a flawless performance. "I looked through it and there literally isn't a single wasted movement the entire fight," said Rousey. "I wish I could have reacted a little sooner maybe with her charging at me. I can't say a single bad thing about it, except for my reaction time in the beginning. If you watch it frame by frame, literally I did a backwards cartwheel off my face. I didn't plan that at all. But if that's your reaction at the moment, I guess you planned something right."

Roy Jones Jr. On Ronda Rousey: “She Is Just Like Mike Tyson”

March 7, 2015, 2:25 pm

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Boxing legend Roy Jones Jr. has joined UFC President Dana White and several others in a club of people who feel that UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey is comparable to a female version of Mike Tyson. Jones Jr. appeared on Monday's edition of "The MMA Hour" at MMAFighting.com to talk about the subject. "I think she is that devastating," said Jones Jr. "Anybody who can do something like that hand-to-hand combat wise, I'm definitely a fan of. I think that's a proper name, a proper thing to refer her to -- a proper reference for her." Rousey has finished all of her opponents, outside of Miesha Tate in their second fight, within the first round, yet fans -- including Jones Jr. -- don't feel ripped off when her bouts last only a minute or so. "Yes, she is just like Mike Tyson and yes I would pay every time to watch her destroy somebody, I don't care if it's 10 seconds," said Jones Jr. "But because I know what she's coming to do, I'm gonna pay to watch her, because I'm gonna be entertained for them 10 seconds that she's in there. Which is the same reason I'd watch Roy Jones Jr. and the same reason I'd always watch Mike Tyson."

Brendan Schaub Says Ronda Rousey Would “Rag-Doll” Ian McCall

March 9, 2015, 11:16 am

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UFC Heavyweight contender Brendan Schaub is the latest in a long line of many to discuss the topic of UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey fighting men. Although Rousey herself insists there's no place for male vs. female fighting, the topic continues to make the rounds, with many weighing in on the subject. One of those names is UFC Flyweight contender Ian McCall. McCall recently made the claim that Rousey couldn't even throw him, with or without a Judo gi. Schaub disagrees. During a recent edition of his FOX Sports podcast, The Ultimate Fighter season ten runner-up claims McCall "would be surprised." "If he put on a gi, Ronda would rag-doll him around the gym," said Schaub. "He would be surprised. I've seen her rag-doll bigger, very skilled fighters. MMA, professional fighters. I've seen her destroy men. Fighters who were way bigger than [McCall]." Schaub concluded, "She could definitely beat some of the 135ers in the UFC."

Video: Gina Carano On Ronda Rousey: “It’s Insane — She’s A Beautiful Athlete”

March 10, 2015, 9:06 am

≫ Next: Video: Laila Ali On Ronda Rousey: “She’s Like The Size Of My 3-Year-Old Daughter”

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The former face of Women's MMA -- Gina Carano -- recently shared her thoughts on the current state of the sport, and Women's MMA in particular. In a new interview with MMAWeekly.com, Carano spoke about the landmark lineup at UFC 184, which for the first time in UFC history, featured an all female top-billing, with Ronda Rousey vs. Cat Zingano as the main event and Holly Holm vs. Raquel Pennington in the co-main event. Carano was particularly impressed with the new face of Women's MMA -- UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion "Rowdy" Ronda Rousey. "It's insane ... she's a beautiful athlete and there's so much respect there and I wish her all the best," said Carano. "And I hope Cat Zingano gets another chance at the UFC [title]." Not only does Carano feel that Rousey is a beautiful woman, but Rousey shares the sentiment, as she recently referred to Carano as "the hottest female athlete in the world." Check out the complete Gina Carano video interview above.

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Video: Laila Ali On Ronda Rousey: “She’s Like The Size Of My 3-Year-Old Daughter”

March 10, 2015, 9:30 am

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Laila Ali, women's boxing legend and daughter of "The Greatest of All Time," Muhammed Ali, is the latest in the long line of fighters to talk about UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey. In talking with TMZ Sports recently, which you can watch above, Ali claimed that she could defeat any woman in the world before saying that Rousey is "like the size of her three year-old daughter." Ali, however, did point out that she's a boxer, not a MMA fighter. "That’s like a question I’m not even gonna answer," said Ali. "Because, for one, I’m not a UFC fighter. She’s not a boxer." However, Ali was baited into going a bit further. "And no woman in the world can beat me. Period," said Ali. Including Rousey? "Of course not, said Ali. "She’s too much smaller than me anyways. She’s like the size of my daughter. My 3-year-old." Following the interview, Ali was quick to kill any momentum in talks of an Ali vs. Rousey bout, as she hopped on social media, posting the following comments on Twitter.

Let's b clear...I'm retired & not interested in fighting anyone. When asked questions, I just answer them honestly Everybody stay relaxed!

— Laila Ali (@TheRealLailaAli) March 9, 2015

UFC Hiring New Octagon Girl For UFC Fight Night 66 Event In Manila

March 10, 2015, 2:48 pm

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UFC is looking to hire a new Octagon girl. The promotion is seeking a new Octagon girl for their UFC Fight Night 66 event in the Philippines on May 16th. UFC is asking that applicants meet the following criteria:

- You must be a current citizen of the Philippines - You must be over the age of 18 - You must be athletic and fit, attractive, articulate and able to speak well on camera - It is preferred, not but required, that you have some previous modeling experience - You must be eligible to work in the Philippines - You must be available from May 13th through May 16th for UFC Fight Week activities

Those looking to apply to become the newest UFC Octagon girl can do so at UFC.com. Headlined by Frankie Edgar vs. Urijah Faber, UFC Fight Night 66 takes place on Saturday, May 16th at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines, and will air live on FOX Sports 1. Make sure to visit MMANews.com on 5/16 for the best UFN 66 live results coverage on the web!

Ronda Rousey On Laila Ali: “If She Wants To Take Me On, I’m Around”

March 11, 2015, 1:22 pm

≫ Next: Julianna Pena Calls Ronda Rousey “Ignorant,” Says She Crossed The Line With Arianny Celeste

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Ronda Rousey recently responded to some controversial comments made by women's boxing legend Laila Ali. Rousey spoke to The Daily Beast about Ali's recent claims that she could beat the UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion, and that she is "the size of her three-year-old daughter." "If she wants to take me up on that, I’m around," Rousey says of Ali. "She’s retired and has several kids. I understand why she’d think that because she has a size advantage, but if you saw my last fight it had nothing to do with size or strength at all." Rousey concluded, "That’s not how I beat people. So you can’t count having a size and strength advantage as having a real advantage against me."

Julianna Pena Calls Ronda Rousey “Ignorant,” Says She Crossed The Line With Arianny Celeste

March 12, 2015, 9:46 am

≫ Next: Esparza, Jedrzejczyk Take Exception To Fedor Emelianenko’s Comments About Women’s MMA

≪ Previous: Ronda Rousey On Laila Ali: “If She Wants To Take Me On, I’m Around”

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Ultimate Fighter 18 champion Julianna Pena recently spoke up on behalf of UFC Octagon girl Arianny Celeste, calling Ronda Rousey "ignorant" and saying she went too far with her comments towards Celeste last month. The situation Pena is referencing dates back to Rousey's recent title defense against Cat Zingano at UFC 184, where during the build-up to the fight, Rousey spoke about UFC's Octagon girls, claiming they get paid too much and that fighters should always make more than ring card girls. One Octagon girl in particular, Arianny Celeste, took exception to those comments last month, calling Rousey a "big bully" who "continuously picks on her." “What did I say that was a bully?” Rousey fired back in February. “That the fighters should get paid more than the ring girls? How does that make me a bully? That makes me f*cking right. I’m sorry, but she wouldn’t have a job if it wasn’t for the fighters. She wouldn’t. You think her walking in circles around the two guys or two girls out there fighting for their lives is worth more? Think she works harder than they do?” Pena, the winner of season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter, which Rousey coached alongside Miesha Tate, recently came to Celeste's defense. "I felt it was very out of line for Ronda to single out Arianny for multiple reasons," Pena told MMAFighting.com. "First off, it's none of Ronda's business how much Arianny gets paid. Arianny has been with the company a hell of a lot longer than Ronda has and made the UFC plenty of money and gotten them exposure with things like Maxim, other magazines and TV shows." Pena continued, "If Ronda is so close with Dana [White], she should bring up fighter pay to him instead of looking ignorant. She should just let Arianny do her job and Ronda can do hers. Ring girls and fights go hand in hand and they are an essential part of the show." "I love Arianny and think she has a beautiful heart," Pena said of Celeste. "I stand by her 110 percent." Pena, who beat Rousey's team members to become the TUF 18 champion, also spoke about the disrespect that Rousey showed her during their stint on the UFC reality show. "Ronda said I didn't deserve to breathe the same air as Shayna Baszler," said Pena. "That's when you know someone is arrogant and ignorant. After the couple of run-ins we had on the show, I knew she was a mean girl and I'm not talking about in the cage. I hope I never come across as unsportsmanlike as she is, because that is not a champion." Julianna Pena makes her Octagon return against Milana Dudieva at UFC Fight Night 63 in Fairfax, Virginia.

Esparza, Jedrzejczyk Take Exception To Fedor Emelianenko’s Comments About Women’s MMA

March 12, 2015, 11:48 am

≫ Next: Manny Pacquiao Says Ronda Rousey Would Beat Floyd Mayweather In MMA

≪ Previous: Julianna Pena Calls Ronda Rousey “Ignorant,” Says She Crossed The Line With Arianny Celeste

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At the UFC 185 open workouts on Wednesday, UFC Women's Strawweight Champion Carla Esparza and number one contender Joanna Jedrzejczyk took exception to recent comments made by MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko. During a recent WHOA TV interview, the former PRIDE Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko controversially stated that he felt MMA is a man's sport, adding that women have no business fighting in MMA. Esparza and Jedrzejczyk, who compete in the co-main event this Saturday night at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, disagree. "I like him so much and he's a living legend," Jedrzejczyk said. "But I think we can do a pretty good job, you know? I think it's not right. We can fight good, we can bring the audience and we can make the show better. That's all." "Facts speak for themselves," Esparza agreed. "He's one of the greats. I have nothing against him. Maybe we differ a little bit in opinion. You know, I think Ronda and the crowd she brought in to LA, the proof is in the pudding. It shows right there." Esparza continued, "I think female MMA is basically the biggest female sport out there right now. We're being put on the same stage as the guys, and obviously Ronda is headlining even above all the guys. It just goes to show, we're on top right now." "Some people are always going to feel the way they feel. But I think day-by-day, fight-by-fight, I'm hearing those whispers a lot less than I used to I think if we go out there and keep showing that we have skills, that we have heart -- I feel like a lot of times girls bring it even more than the guys just with their tenacity and they're just non-stop. That's why it is where it is right now, because they keep proving themselves." Esparza concluded, "We're legit and we're here to stay. Nothing is going to stop this momentum that's been going with the women." Make sure to visit MMANews.com this Saturday night for the best UFC 185 results coverage on the web!