Ronda Rousey’s shadow somehow still looms over the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women’s Bantamweight division even though “Rowdy” hasn’t competed in more than seven years, leaving the promotion after back-to-back knockout losses.
During a recent interview with Sportsnet, UFC CEO, Dana White, addressed the upcoming women’s 135-pound title fight between Raquel Pennington vs. Mayra Bueno Silva for the vacant strap in UFC 297’s pay-per-view (PPV) co-main event this weekend (Sat., Jan. 20, 204) in Toronto.
Before breaking down the impact of the fight and what is at stake for the winner, he was quick to remind everyone that Rousey was the one who built the division and ushered in the era of women’s mixed martial arts (MMA) under the UFC banner a decade ago.
“Those two, you have to look at that division and think Ronda Rousey built that division. These girls have to step up and deliver Saturday night, you know,” he said, before adding a lot of people could be overlooking this fight.
“Listen a lot of fights get overlooked, so make them pay for it Saturday night,” he continued. Stand out, make the place go crazy and deliver. And that’s what they need to do. Listen we do the bells and whistles, we do all of these other stuff, Saturday night you have to go in there and show the world who you are and make the world talk about you on Sunday.”
No mention of Amanda Nunes — who had just as many 135-pound title defenses as “Rowdy” (six) and knocked her out at UFC 207 — was in sight.
Since Rousey’s departure in 2016, the division has changed hands a few times, though Nunes dominated the division with an iron fist before coughing up her strap to Julianna Pena, who then coughed it right back up to “Lioness” seven months later.
Nunes went on to announce her retirement after her dominant title defense over Irene Aldana, paving the way for either Pennington and Bueno Silva to become the sixth champion in the division’s history, joining Rousey, Nunes, Pena, Miesha Tate and Holly Holm.
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 297 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPNEWS at 8 p.m. ET), before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).
To check out the latest and greatest UFC 297: “Strickland vs. Du Plessis” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
