Ronda Rousey Took Only 459 Seconds to Humble Dana White, Who Said ‘Never’ to Women Fighting in the UFC

Ronda Rousey is a combat sports legend who changed the course of women’s MMA. UFC President Dana White was the first to admit he was wrong about the WMMA when he made a statement that women will never fight in the UFC. The veteran promoter saw potential in Rousey as she rose through the ranks in Strikeforce.

‘The Rowdy One’ was perhaps the first female fighter to introduce trash talk in her game. She was already a recognizable name in the combat sports world as she was the first ever woman to win an Olympic medal in Judo for the United States.

The UFC Hall of Famer had a meteoric rise in the MMA scene. She fought for her first MMA world championship (Strikeforce bantamweight title) only in her fifth bout. It only took her 138 seconds to get to the Strikeforce championship.

When presented with the opportunity, ‘The Arm Collector’ cashed in fully and defeated the then-bantamweight Strikeforce champion, Miesha Tate. Later, Rousey defended her title once in the best women’s MMA promotion at the time.

So, it took Rousey only 6 bouts and 459 seconds, i.e., less than 8 minutes to change UFC President Dana White’s mind to add the women’s division to the premier martial arts promotion.

Read More – Legends Ronda Rousey, Michael Phelps & Shaquille O’Neal, All Struggled With the Same Troubles in Life. The 53-year-old was highly complimentary of Rousey throughout her UFC career. And even when she jumped ship to World Wrestling Entertainment aka WWE, White was there to witness it.

Dana White announced Ronda Rousey as the UFC champion

UFC President Dana White doesn’t shy away from admitting his mistakes. The successful businessperson admitted he was wrong about women’s MMA in the UFC. Not only did he add a women’s weight division after meeting Rousey, but he also kept her as the champion. Rousey was the Strikeforce champion when UFC bought the promotion.

In a big press conference where names like Nate Diaz and Alexander Gustafsson were present, White brought a UFC title and said, “Bring the champ out here. I’m gonna make it official right now – the first ever UFC women’s champion – Ronda Rousey.” 

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Rousey was added to the UFC Hall of Fame after her 8-fight run (all championship bouts) in the promotion. What do you make of Ronda Rousey paving the way for female athletes? What was your best Ronda Rousey moment in the UFC? Let us know in the comments section.