Bethe Correia: Ronda Hasn’t Proved She’s A Real MMA Fighter
Undefeated UFC women’s bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey made headlines yesterday (Tues., May 12, 2015) by appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated as the ‘World’s Most Dominant Athlete’ thanks to her insane streak of jaw-dropping first round finishes over the course of the past year.
She’s destroyed Cat Zingano, Alexis Davis, and Sara McMann in an alarming 96 seconds combined yet heading into her next title defense against rival Bethe Correia at August 1’s UFC 190 from Brazil, ‘Rowdy’ isn’t looking for another quick finish. Speaking in an interview with SI Now’s Maggie Gray, Rousey said that she wants to make Correia, who’s defeated her ‘Four Horsewomen’ teammates Shayna Baszler and Jessamyn Duke in recent bouts, absorb a drawn-out beating due to all of the trash she’s talked:
“This fight has gone pretty personal for me and when I finish fights quickly, that’s really me at my most merciful,” Rousey said. “My dad would call it a ‘come to Jesus meeting’. I’m going all the way down to Brazil to a ‘come to Jesus meeting’ with this chick. No, I’m not gonna end it quickly. But not because I can’t end it quickly, because I choose to.”
Correia had a fast response lined up for MMA Fighting, proclaiming that crossover star Rousey isn’t a real MMA fighter:
“She wants to be a Hollywood star, she’s just wasting her time with MMA. I have more Octagon time; I have thrown more punches and fought more rounds than her in the UFC. I have more experience than her. She should shut her mouth and respect me. Ronda hasn’t proved to be a MMA fighter. I am a real MMA fighter.”
Also undefeated, the Brazilian Correia continued on that she wouldn’t show mercy on Rousey, but would instead knock her out quickly for her home fans in Rio:
“She’s saying she won’t be merciful with me. Don’t worry; I won’t be merciful either. But that means I’ll fight differently. I always fight showing my entire MMA game, and this time I will just knock her out quickly. Go back home, do your little movies. I’ll do her a favor and knock her out fast. That’s a promise I make to the Brazilian people.”
She then made it personal by attacking Rousey’s struggle with drugs and alcohol following her 2008 defeat in the Olympics (which she recently documented in her autobiography), warning ‘Rowdy’ to take her perceived loss with grace and not return to depending on substances:
“I just hope she can handle this loss better than her last one and don’t do drugs again. I hope she can handle losing the title. That’s my only advice for her. Learn how to lose and don’t do drugs again. Your loss is coming. It’s August 1st in Brazil. You have no idea how tough I am.”
The gloves are not surprisingly off and the trash talk is flying fast for this anticipated grudge match. Can Correia capitalize on her harsh words, or will she end up decimated like the rest of Rousey’s challengers?
Photo Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
