Five ways Ronda Rousey can inspire men and women
American mixed martial artist (MMA) Ronda Jean Rousey created a flutter last month when during the prize ceremony of the ESPYS awards in Los Angeles, where she won the Best Fighter award, she challenged undefeated welterweight pro boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Junior in a no-rule fight.
It was a challenge, no fan of combat sport could have ignored for simple reason - Mayweather is undefeated and hasn't lost a single fight in 48 bouts, with his latest win against Filipino great Manny Pacquiao in May earned him a whopping $300m.
Also read: Why UFC winner Ronda Rousey is a real badass
Rousey's just a challenge and whether any fight will happen between them will depend only on commercial viability of it, but her daring act of proposing a bout has generated a lot of interest among sports fans to know that who this MMA fighter is… Fight against Mayweather notwithstanding, here are five reasons about why she is a fast-rising star and an inspirational figure for upcoming women fighters:
A pioneer
The 28-year-old Rousey is the first woman to sign up with the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) mixed martial arts company. She signed the contract in November. The US fighter is being hailed as the biggest star in women's MMA. In her 12-fight career, she won all her fights in the first round. Her performance makes her the most-sought woman combat fighter and an inspirational figure to follow by fellow fighters.
A successful judoka
Before stepping into the MMA, Rousey had a highly successful career in judo. Just at 17, she qualified for the 2004 Athens Olympics and served the notice of her ability by winning a gold medal at the 2007 Pan American Games, followed by a silver medal at the World Championships same year. In 2008, she became the first US woman judoka to win a medal at Olympics when she settled for a bronze in the Beijing Games. While she could have easily settled for a conventional judo career, she joined the MMA which demands supreme fitness and high-level reflexes. She, however, continued tasting success and her biggest achievement till date is to win the UFC women's bantamweight title. She didn't stop here and has also appeared in Wrestlemania. This shows her capacity of accepting challenges and will to succeed.
All-rounder
She didn't restrict her to sports and has also acted in three Hollywood movies - Entourage, Furious 7 and Expendables 3. She has written a book titled My Fight/Your Fight and has posed for renowned magazines like Sports Illustrated, Maxim and The Hollywood Reporter. It makes her a perfect idol for upcoming athletes who want to maintain a balance between their professional and glamour life.
Self-belief
Challenging Mayweather is no easy job. He has won 26 of 48 bouts in knockout and has beaten some of world's most renowned names in boxing - Zab Judah, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley and Pacquiao. Even the best male boxers will think a thousand times before challenging Mayweather. Rousey's daring statement that she is ready to take on Mayweather is a great example of self-belief.
Great entertainer
Rousey's call for a fight has witnessed some interesting punching lines coming up from her side. During the ESPYS award ceremony last month, she said, "I wonder how Floyd feels being beaten by a woman." On Tuesday, she showed respect for Mayweather but reminded that her challenge is no hogwash. "Floyd is one of the best boxers of all time. He would definitely beat me in a boxing match. I unfortunately don't get into 'matches'. I fight for a living. In a no-rules fight, I believe I can beat anyone on this planet."
Mayweather too hit back with an eye-catching remark, "I've yet to see any MMA fighter, or other boxer, make over $300m in 36 minutes." Rousey sounds like an entertainer any sport needs to make itself popular.