The year is 2011. Dana White, president of the UFC, steps out of an LA restaurant and as he is about to enter a car, a TMZ journalist corners him.
The UFC is growing in popularity but by White’s own account, it is still a struggle “to get people to accept men fighting in a cage.”
When asked by the reporter, “So when are we going to see women in the UFC?”, White responds promptly. His answer will be quoted many, many times over the next few years: “Never.”
Later, TMZ brings out the headline: “The UFC bans another substance – estrogen.”
In the meantime, a handful of female fighters are making names for themselves in the rival MMA league known as Strikeforce. Ronda Rousey is one of them. She is still mostly known for being an Olympic medallist in Judo. At 25 years old and having transitioned to MMA only a few years prior, Rousey already has a signature move: the armbar. It has won her every one of her fights so far.
The same year that White publicly declares women will never fight in the UFC, Rousey debuts with Strikeforce. She has built a short yet impressive MMA career, having defeated all of her opponents in under a minute.
Strikeforce lines her up against Sarah D’Alelio and Rousey executes an armbar within the first 25 seconds. There will be much controversy after this match and debate over whether the armbar led to a legal submission. The discussion will mostly only cement two things, both of which will work in Rousey’s favour: her reputation for a merciless armbar and her ability to incite public opinion.
There is no doubt that Rousey captures D’Alelio’s arm within the first few seconds of the match. Rousey will later explain that she felt her opponent’s elbow pop and heard her verbally call “tap”. D’Alelio will deny having verbally or physically tapped, but will admit that she cried out in audible pain. The victory goes to Rousey in any case, securing not only her next few fights but an exciting build-up toward them.
Seemingly underchallenged, Rousey declares her desire to fight Bantamweight Championship titleholder, Miesha Tate. Although she claims the challenge is not personal, both Rousey and Tate begin a public feud via interviews and social media.
Strikeforce announces that Ronda Rousey will fight Tate in March 2012. So begins months of trash-talking between the two, with Rousey claiming she gets bored watching Tate fight and Tate accusing Rousey of being more “pretty” than being a “real fighter”.
The hype culminates in the two not touching gloves at the weigh-ins. Whether real or imagined, the rivalry ensures ample media attention is given to the actual fight. On March 3, Tate versus Rousey is the headliner event – the first time women have headlined an MMA fight card since 2009. It garners enough attention that Strikeforce’s male Lightweight Champion Josh Thomson feels snubbed by the organisers for not being selected to headline.
Ronda Rousey looks on at her opponent in the Octagon. (AP Photo/John Locher)
After months of hype, the match does not disappoint those who have already understood the threat that is Ronda Rousey. After four and a half minutes, Rousey locks Tate in an armbar for the second time in the match and bends it so far that later the tape will have to be replayed to confirm the arm did not break. Tate will receive criticism for resisting the submission as long as she did and risking long-term damage to her arm. Rousey is declared the winner.
On August 18, the new titleholder is to come up against former champion and titleholder, Sarah Kaufman. Before the fight, Rousey appears on the talk-show Conan to promote both the fight and herself. A documentary titled All Access: Ronda Rousey is aired on Showtime. ESPN releases the 2012 edition of their magazine and Rousey graces the front cover.
Rousey’s marketability, which stems from her looks (fit, blonde, smiling) and her killer instinct (undefeated record, never-fail armbar) gives her something that previously very few MMA fighters have enjoyed: mainstream appeal. Her name may be synonymous with the sport but it is known by more than just its fans – people know who Ronda Rousey is.
Among them is Dana White. It feels like the whole world is watching when Strikeforce: Rousey vs Kaufman is broadcast live on Showtime. The weigh-ins beforehand had been open to fans. It will later be recorded that the event drew 908,000 viewers in total – becoming the most-watched Strikeforce card that year and the sixth most watched fight of all time.
What no one knows in that moment is that this will be the last-ever Strikeforce match between two female fighters.
Rousey submits Kaufman in 54 seconds. The armbar which secures her win leads Bleacher Report to write of her: “You can be a one-trick pony if that one trick is unstoppable.”
The armbar is not Rousey’s only trick. Her final trick, she pulls on White.
On November 16 2012, the UFC President confirms that they have officially signed their first-ever female fighter – Ronda Rousey.
Rousey’s next match is to be held in the UFC octagon. She will go on to win that match and will eventually bring her entire division to the UFC with her. The UFC buys Strikeforce, taking over its female roster and offers contracts to other female fighters who will come up against Rousey.
Only a year earlier, there was no such thing as women in the UFC. Ronda Rousey not only became the first female UFC champion, she became the face of the brand – making the UFC as famous as it made her.
She changed Dana White’s mind and with it, the entire game.
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