“Never!” Dana White declared confidently to the paparazzi in January 2011 when asked when women would fight in the UFC. Yet, just two years later, the UFC CEO made a 180 degrees change and the UFC had its first-ever female fight. What was the reason for his change of heart? A meeting with then Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey.

“You approached me, we had like a 45-minute conversation, and halfway through it I started going, ‘Oh my God, I think I’m gonna do this. And she’s definitely the one to do this with,'” White recalled in a conversation with Rousey three years ago. This is why many justifiably say that there may never have been women in the UFC if it wasn’t for ‘Rowdy’.

And that is why a recent all-time female fighter list compiled by ESPN MMA upset fans. The list had Ronda Rousey ranked #3. It was titled ‘These Stars Changed Women’s MMA‘. It had the former two-division female UFC champion, Amanda Nunes at #1. This was followed by multiple-promotion champion Cris Cyborg.

Rousey, as we have mentioned, was third and was followed by Valentina Shevchenko, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Rose Namajunas, Zhang Weili, Meisha Tate, Megumi Fujii, and Holly Holm in descending order. But fans, despite the fact that Rousey isn’t very popular lately, were outraged.

Rousey retired from MMA in 2016 after suffering two consecutive losses. But she had already made six UFC title defenses by then. The judoka, of course, fought Liz Carmouche. This was for the UFC’s inaugural women’s bantamweight title back in 2013. She also exploded in popularity in the next couple of years.

No one has come close to Conor McGregor‘s level of fame in the sport of MMA, but Rousey has come the closest. A darling of the media in her heyday, ‘Rowdy’ would feature on all the big late night, morning, and other talk shows. She played a major role in bringing the UFC into mainstream popularity. And fans took to the  comments section of ESPN MMA’s post to set the record straight.

Fans react to ESPN putting Ronda Rousey #3 on all-time list

One fan pointed out that while Rousey may not have been the best fighter on the list, no one has done more to ‘change’ women’s MMA than her. They said, “Rhonda might not be the best wmma fighter ever but she’s definitely the most influential.” This goes to show that influence and skills both have an impact.

Another fan pointed out from personal experience that Rousey at her prime was literally bigger than the sport: “Rousey #1. Back when I didn’t know anything about UFC even I’d heard of her.” Many strongly believe she put the sport on the map for many fans. As she was one of the first few female players they knew, their reaction to this list is understandable.

One fan pointed out that Ronda Rousey was such a transformative figure that she single-handedly made people aware that there was such a thing as women’s MMA: “Rhonda put women’s mma on the map for sure.” The entire event also highlights how, for audiences, a player’s popularity transcends time. It also highlights that skills may not be the only factor affecting a player’s popularity.

Another fan not only pointed out ‘Rowdy’s contribution to the sport, but also reminded everyone of Gina Carano. They said, “Crazy Ronda is #3. If it weren’t for her, NONE of them would be fighting for a living and be making what they are now. At least honorable mention for Gina Carano!!!! How could anyone forget? She was a pioneer.” She headlined the first major women’s MMA card opposite Cris Cyborg at Strikeforce in 2009. For that reason, at the very least deserved a mention.

Another fan correctly pointed out that Rousey was not only the most influential figure in women’s MMA but also far more influential than anyone else on the list. They said, “Ronda is not only #1, she’s head and shoulders above everyone else.”

Another tried to synthesize the fans’ views with ESPN’s list, and pointed out how Nunes is probably the female GOAT, but as far as helping the sport become popular is concerned, Rousey is in a league of her own: “If we’re basing it on skill then definitely Amanda first but if you’re basing it on influence, Rousey is the clear #1”. 

What do you think about ESPN ranking Ronda Rousey #3 on its all-time list?