UFC president Dana White appeared to be furious despite the fact that Ronda Rousey had defended her women's bantamweight championship in just 16 seconds from Alexis Davis at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Saturday, Yahoo Sports reported. Rousey, who dominated the co-main event of UFC 175 by quickly disposing Davis by landing a right hand-knee combination before using her judo skills to throw the latter down, had to be stopped by referee Yves Lavigne when she followed through wih more powerful punches.
After being declared the winner, commentator Joe Rogan then asked Rousey whether she is willing to fight again in the UFC in three weeks since the cancellation of the featherweight title rematch between Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes. Aldo was reportedly injured and had to pull out of the championship match.
Rousey answered, "If they needed me to step up, I would do it. I would appreciate the rest, but if they really needed me to do it, they know I would do it."
According to White, the question was uncalled for and it was unfortunate for someone at the production truck to make a hasty decision and fed the question to Rogan to put Rousey on the spot. He explained, "I was upset with the truck telling [Rogan] to tell Ronda that she's going to fight again. That wasn't true. That was some [expletive] that somebody made up back there. It was the biggest idiotic move in the history of our production team."
Yahoo Sports noted that although it was highly unusual for Rousey to agree to fight again just right after a match, the women's bantamweight championship had already expressed her willingness to jump into a match on 24 hours' notice if the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world just ask. Also, it would not be the first time if UFC did, as it was recalled that she had committed and won the match against Sara McMann weeks after she had a rematch with Miesha Tate on December 28. Also, White seemed to be an expert in dealing with fighters who would agree to fight on his terms.
On the other hand, the sports blog said Rousey's extensive two-year fighting, television and film work, nonstop public relations appearances and a nasty cut she acquired from the UFC 175 match might not make it happen, and that doctors will not clear her just in time for UFC 176.
