Dana White Reveals Why Ronda Rousey Has Earned Right To Avoid Media
With a mixed bag of opinions and speculation concerning Ronda Rousey’s refusal to attend any media-related events for her return bout against champion Amanda Nunes at Friday’s (December 30, 2017) UFC 207 from Las Vegas, UFC President Dana White has finally addressed the issue.
While a significant uproar in the MMA community resulted from Rousey’s media blackout – mainly due to the promotions pulling of Conor McGregor from UFC 200 after he skipped a single press conference, White isn’t going to allow anyone except Rousey to forego their obligations.
Speaking to the press in a return to his media scrum format courtesy of MMA Weekly, White revealed jsut why Rousey has earned the right to receive special treatment:
According to the polarizing exec, Rousey did more media than any other fighter ever, and on a larger scale, so she’s earned the right to focus only on her in-cage skills for her important return:
“”Ronda Rousey‘s done a lot, done a lot. She’s done more media than anyone in the history of the company — major media, media that no one else could get, and she did it all. And this is something she asked for. It doesn’t open flood gates and it doesn’t change anything. If someone doesn’t want to show up for a press conference, I’ll pull ’em from the card again.”
It would seem White’s statement was a small barb at McGregor and/or Nick Diaz, who were both removed from extremely high-profile cards for refusing to attend one press event each. He makes a strong case for Rousey being granted concessions other fighters aren’t due to the immeasurable success and attention she’s brought the promotion and the sport of MMA as a whole, and it’s understandable she needs to focus on her performance after doing perhaps far too much press leading up to her UFC 193 loss to Holly Holm.
No one’s quite sure what this behavior will translate into in terms of her Octagon appearance – some feel she’s mentally gone after one big loss while others think the extra allowed time to refocus on her skills will see her return to her long-held position of the world’s most dominant female fighter.
Which side are you on?
