Former UFC champion Ronda Rousey responds to criticism from fighter Khamzat Chimaev, who accused her of being "ungrateful" towards the UFC. Rousey defends herself and praises Gina Carano ahead of their upcoming fight.
Former UFC champion Ronda Rousey has hit back at Khamzat Chimaev in a response to his recent criticism of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) during an event's final press conference. Speaking before his defeat to middleweight champion Sean Strickland, Chimaev made statements that Rousey found offensive.
In a YouTube video, Chimaev said, "There never would have been Ronda Rousey without the UFC... I hate this. If they pay good or they don't pay good, who cares? When she was Olympic champ, what did she make then?" This statement sparked backlash from Rousey at the press conference.
Rousey did not hold back in her response to Chimaev's. She remarked, "F-ing cleft-lip Lincoln is just hating because at his press conference for his fight, people are asking about me and my fight because no one gives a shit about his ineffectual wrestle-fests." Rousey also added, "People actually can't stop talking about this fight because it's so stacked and they're actually excited to see me fight because, unlike Kumquat, I have a 100 percent finish rate."
Despite her criticism of the UFC's current ownership, Rousey insisted she still respected former executives Dana White and the Fertitta family. "I would want to make something abundantly clear, and that's I owe Dana and the Fertittas immensely," she said. "But my loyalty is to them and not the company that they sold. I do not owe TKO's UFC a damn thing."
Rousey also praised Gina Carano before their fight, saying, "We don't need to hate each other to give each other our best." This sentiment underscores her desire for mutual respect in the competitive world of MMA.
As Rousey prepares for her comeback against Gina Carano on Saturday's MVP MMA Netflix card, she continues to assert her independence and professionalism within the sport.
