Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White once said women would never fight in the UFC. Dana is a smart guy and has no problem admitting when he is wrong. Not only have women made their debut in the sport, they headlined the main event in UFC 157 in Anaheim last Sunday.
Women punching, kicking and trying to pin each other in a cage doesn’t seem as natural as when the men do it. There are many people out there who feel uncomfortable about women competing in the sport, but in my opinion, if two grown adults want to belt each other they should not be denied the right.
The UFC has transformed mixed martial arts into the fastest growing sport in the world. Its professional management has provided quality fights in a clean environment since day one. I can understand why the UFC was reluctant to bring women into the octagon. The girls not only had to be marketable, they had to provide a quality product when the punches started to fly.
When the UFC found Ronda Rousey they knew they had found their woman. She’s an Olympian, she’s tough, she’s beautiful and she can fight! Then they found an openly gay, plucky ex-Marine called Liz Carmouche, and Dana was finally convinced he had a product he could promote which wouldn’t tarnish his hard-polished brand.
Rousey went into the fight as clear favorite, but at one stage Carmouche was on Rousey’s back and had her in what looked like a very deep rear naked choke. However, Rousey kept her legs and managed to break the hold in one of the gutsiest efforts in UFC history. Rousey then maneuvered her opponent into the right position and forced her to submit.
This was a great fight and a proud moment for the UFC. They now have their women’s champion and have kept their integrity well and truly intact.
