After UFC 207 the women's bantamweight division was shaken again.
The world watched as Ronda Rousey gets TKO'd for a second time, but this time it happened to be within 48 seconds.
the memes set in once again and it was all a little too hard to ignore this time around. through the filters, I had a flashback of how Ronda was treated the first time when she lost.
That hit me double-time as a human with real emotions after UFC 207 on a personal level.
I ask myself...
As the years have gone by Ronda Rousey has been nothing but a product of the media in my eyes. When she came over from Strikeforce into Dana White's arms in the UFC, that is when he decided to bring women alongside to fight on the same cards as the men. It was something new, but we needed it. would I say she opened the door completely for women's MMA? EH. not really... and this is because there have been other women fighters before Ronda actually training MMA that I felt did just that without the UFC.
The media is what made me want to get to know who Ronda Rousey was. I am not gonna lie. I mean, that is their job correctly? So I went with it.
If I dissect the situation, Ronda Rousey is a judoka to a caliber that she is a complete expert at what she does. Getting into the Olympics to win bronze is something I could never say let alone own. one simple hip toss onto the mat and you are in trouble.
I believe a great handful of women fighters in the same division felt that sort of pressure because all we have been seeing is Ronda's face everywhere when she was the Champion.. and I mean, everywhere. talk shows, interviews, press, articles, magazines, everywhere.
Am I saying that she isn't a great fighter? no. what I am saying is during the time everyone discovered who Ronda Rousey was our eyes have been blinded from other women fighters that get overshadowed. why? because the media sets it up that way. makes us fall in love with America's "sweetheart".
Do you think Dana White would have NEVER EVER IN LIFE open up a women's division in the UFC? even if Rousey wasn't involved? that is very unlikely for me to believe. she hasn't done EVERYTHING for this sport.
Just look at the other federations that have involved women. It is just a matter of time. she was just a face to follow that was getting shoved down our throats. Yes, her being GIVEN a belt made other women fighters realize that they can actually make real money doing a sport that they love.. (thanks!).
*looks to the left*
*looks to the right*
She is a fighter just like everyone else and when you have someone with the judo power like Ronda beating her opponents in the same way over and over during the first round of course that is exciting. in ways that is what the crowd wants to see.
"WHO IS THIS GIRL?!"
And to your left you have the media telling Ronda that she is the GOAT at everything (including boxing..). you have the world out here believing that she is one of the best boxers in the world by putting her on the cover of "RING" magazine?
Once she stood tall with Holly Holm who had an impressive boxing career gets TKO'd in the 2nd round to lose the belt. fast forward to Amanda Nuñes being one of the best strikers in the division getting a TKO in the first round? Should I even get in details of the fights? we have all seen it.
Once she was exposed she went from the "GOAT" to just another fighter in an instant. that first moment at UFC 193 was the night I felt everyone was lied to about who she really was.
In Ronda's book "My Fight/Your Fight", she talks about not having trained in boxing before, and once she found her coach Edmond he was the only one to take her over all the others.
Why? She was female, yes. he molded her into a fighter she was feeling comfortable with because she focused on her judo. once she started getting some wins under her belt the attitude followed in her being the greatest at everything there is with MMA and that is simply not true.
Yet the media has all of us thinking otherwise. Persuasive headlines that grasp your interests without knowing the detail behind it are what's happening here.
Ronda Rousey is not the Muhammad Ali of the UFC. Ronda Rousey is not the Bruce Lee of MMA.
What about all the other women fighters that have been training night and day trying to claim what they deserve? JUST LIKE RONDA? where is their media time? THERE IS NONE. but when we watch ads for Ronda they are the most perfect pristine tv time ads where they don't show her getting hurt because she can't "handle it".
WHAT ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE THO?
I want to believe in that more. if we are really moving forward like Dana White is claiming he would focus on someone else for once that has equal or greater talent and give them their time to shine.
Ronda Rousey isn't IT. Ronda Rousey isn't EVERYTHING.
Now with her exposed losses what is the UFC to do? As a business? Their main muse is down in the bantamweight women's division. this is what these fighters have been waiting on for a long time. They thought she was out the first time after Holm, but NOPE. now after Nuñes she officially might be out for the count.
Do I want that?
Ehhhhhh... maybe she should retire. maybe she should get a new coach.
Maybe this. Maybe that.
To me, Ronda loves to fight. To me, the media made Ronda not want to fight. is the passion still there? I don't know. My passion to watch these fighters even without Ronda is there.
I think it is time the world knew the truth because with her being gone, trust me... this is only the beginning for the women's bantamweight division.
At UFC 207 Amanda Nuñes made us ALL see that night.