Ronda Rousey has laid out anyone that the UFC has placed in front of her and at a press conference in Macau ahead of this weekend’s Fight Night event, she addressed new challengers along with UFC President Dana White.
Rousey expressed excitement about Holly Holm’s arrival.
“I’m so excited that Holly Holm got signed,” said Rousey. “She’s someone I’ve had my eye on for a while. She’s a really exciting fighter. You don’t see women that are world champion boxers knocking people out with headkicks very often. I think that she’s just not great for a title fight, she’s great for a whole division and giving the women some real legitimacy. I couldn’t be happier about her joining the company.”
“That’s what’s so unique about Ronda,” White added. “Ronda is excited about new women that get signed. It’s not like there’s any jealousy or hatred or, ‘Oh, I’m not going to fight…’ She wants to fight everybody.”
In terms of Invicta’s Cris Cyborg challenging Rousey, the champion said that she would be more than happy to take the fight.
“I’d love that [fight], too, but I don’t make fights. I just show up and win them.”
“It’s a complicated question,” said White. “I know Ronda wants that fight. Cyborg is ‘going to fight at 135 pounds,’ apparently. She’s never fought at 135 pounds. She’s gonna make the weight. Do it in Invicta. We’ll see what happens and we’ll go from there. [Rousey] does want this fight. I know people talk a lot of s**t like she doesn’t but she does.”
Despite rumors about Gina Carano signing with Bellator and that her negotiations with UFC have hit a snag, Rousey made no bones that she Carano is her dream match-up.
“This is the fight I’ve been looking forward to ever since I found out women’s MMA existed,” said Rousey. “You ever heard the saying, ‘Work until your idols become your rivals’? It would really be a dream come true to fight Gina. Not in a malicious sense. It’s the highest form of respect that I could show to her, is to come and fight her and give her every single thing that I have.”
