White: Ronda’s biggest issues were with the media

In 2015, then UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey was not just the highest profile figure in the sport, she was by some measures the highest profile woman in the world, depending on how you view these things.

Top Most Googled people, 2015:
1. Lamar Odom
2. Caitlyn Jenner
3. Ronda Rousey
4. Donald Trump

Rousey dominated the division to an unprecedented degree, until she lost to Holly Holm at UFC 193. Overnight she went from being the highest profile figure in the sport to, relatively speaking, a recluse. There was widespread speculation that Rousey was done with the sport.

The rumors were wrong. Ronda Rousey fights Amanda Nunes for the title at UFC 207 on December 30, 2016, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. UFC president Dana White appeared recently on FOX Sports Live with Jay and Dan to talk about it at.

“I knew she was gonna return,” said White, as transcribed by Jed Meshew for MMA Fighting. “The thing is with Ronda, she worked so hard for three years for us non-stop, doing our stuff, her stuff, and she wanted some time off. If anybody deserved time off it was her. We probably started talking about her coming back four months ago and that’s it. She had a few nagging injuries, elbows, knees, and she went and got them cleaned out and recovered fast.”

“The thing that people have to understand about Ronda is that she is so competitive – you know, who likes to lose? Nobody does but she is like the next level and I think she just wanted time. She had some issues but her biggest issues, in my opinion, were with the media. She just felt like the media completely turned on her when she lost. … Not abandoned. She felt attacked. She felt like these people in the media that she gave three years of her life cruising around, giving interviews to completely turned on her when she lost.

“I’ve been doing this for 16 years and I’ve had my moments with the media and the media can irritate you. If you go through something traumatic like she did, losing and everything else, and you have to listen to some of the things being written and said, I get it.”

White also discussed the potential superfight with Cris Cyborg. That could, easily, be the biggest fight in MMA history. Cyborg has for years been relentless, noting lately that for many months, Rousey will not even say her name.

If Ronda Rousey retires after losing to Amanda Nunes @TheHerd her insecurities robbed the fans the greatest fight of all time

— CrisCyborg.Com (@criscyborg) October 12, 2016

“>@TheHerd her insecurities robbed the fans the greatest fight of all time

— Cris Cyborg (@criscyborg)

If Ronda Rousey retires after losing to Amanda Nunes @TheHerd her insecurities robbed the fans the greatest fight of all time

— @CrisCyborg fights in 15 days #Bellator249 (@criscyborg) October 12, 2016

“>October 12, 2016

I want all my fans to know @RondaRousey could lose 100 fights in a row and I would still want to fight her. Its not about money it's respect

— CrisCyborg.Com (@criscyborg) October 12, 2016

“>@RondaRousey could lose 100 fights in a row and I would still want to fight her. Its not about money it’s respect

— Cris Cyborg (@criscyborg)

I want all my fans to know @RondaRousey could lose 100 fights in a row and I would still want to fight her. Its not about money it’s respect

— @CrisCyborg fights in 15 days #Bellator249 (@criscyborg) October 12, 2016

“>October 12, 2016

White discussed that too.

“First of all, Cyborg weighs 145 lbs. Ronda weighs 135 lbs. … She’s smart. That’s the money fight. This is what Conor calls “red panty night.” When you get the fights with Conor or Ronda, break out the red panties, honey. But Amanda Nunes is the champ. She’s holding the belt that Ronda held. Ronda wants to win her title back. Makes all the sense in the world.”

If Rousey gets her title back, she will be able to dictate terms. If she wants to fight Cris Cyborg, she will. If she wants to for example rematch with Holly Holm, she’ll do that. Time will tell.

But first, she fights Amanda Nunes at UFC 207, at which point it will be over a year since she fought.