It was reported last week by TMZ that Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey had been signed to the UFC and UFC President Dana White has confirmed the report.
During his appearance on the Jim Rome radio show, White was asked if Rousey had been signed by the UFC and he paused before he answered the question.
“Yes, it’s official,” White said. “Ronda Rousey did sign with the UFC.”
At one time in the past, White said that women would not fight in the UFC, but Rousey has been the fighter that has changed his mind.
He was been at her fights since Zuffa acquired Strikeforce and White said that she has the “it” factor.
“She has the whole package. I’ve never been interested in women’s MMA. First, there were not enough girls to create an entire division. When I talk about a super star stand out, people talk about Gina Carano. I tell you this girl (Rousey) is nasty. She might be beautiful on the outside, but she is a Diaz brother on the inside. She is a real fighter and she is very talented. She has the credentials, pedigree and everything. I think she has that ‘it’ factor.”
White did not say when the organization is planning to have her make her UFC debut and who that may be against. However, he did say they do have fights planned for her over the next two years.
“The next two years we actually have really good opponents for her and it’s going to be interesting and we will see what happens.”
Potential opponents that the UFC could line up for Rousey are former Strikeforce featherweight champion Cris Cyborg, former Strikeforce bantamweight champion Miesha Tate, Liz Carmouche and Sara McMann.
The UFC would like to make the fight with Cyborg happen, but her management team said the fighter has been advised by her doctors to not attempt to make 135 pounds, which is the weight that Rousey wants the fight to take place at. White will do what he can to make that fight happen, which the UFC could decide to have that fight as a main or co-main event on a UFC pay-per-view.