Ronda Rousey assumes role of villain after ugly 'TUF' coaching stint

[Midas]

The essence of three months of reality television was whittled down to one very real three-minute live interview.

There was Miesha Tate at Las Vegas's Mandalay Bay Events Center on Saturday night, smiling, gracious, and witty.

To her right, separated by interviewer Jon Anik, was UFC women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, who looked like she wanted to be anywhere except where she was at the moment.

If this was professional wrestling, they'd call it a double turn, in which the hero becomes the villain and the villain the hero, all in one fell swoop.

But really, should anyone be surprised? Saturday's Ultimate Fighter Finale card was Tate's crowning accomplishment, as her fighters went 2-0 in head-to-head championship matchups against their Team Rousey counterparts. Julianna Pena became the first TUF women's champion by finishing Jessica Rakoczy in the first round of their bantamweight bout; and Chris Holdsworth won the men's bantamweight crown with a submission win over underdog Davey Grant.

1.Ronda Rousey's image took a significant hit over the course of TUF 18.

Rousey is an excellent winner. It's something she's used to, seeing as she came home from Beijing with an Olympic judo medal and has torn through the competition to become the first UFC women's champ.

2.But losing? That's something she's yet to prove she can handle gracefully. This was on display Saturday night, as Rousey displayed a teenager's petulance during her interview.

Asked what would make the difference between their rematch on Dec. 28 in Las Vegas and their first fight – in which Rousey beat Tate last year for what was then the Strikeforce title – Rousey said "I don't think I've seen as good a performance from her since I won the title and she's fought a few times since then. I feel like I have so many advantages I don't even know what is the difference." 3.She then turned her gaze toward the upper deck while Tate responded.

Later, Tate was asked how she could better emotionally prepare for the rematch. "I got a lot of practice those six weeks [in the TUF house]," Tate said. "I'm trying to stay as emotionally un-invested as possible."

3.As Tate responded, Rousey made a point of yawning on camera.

While Tate has treated Rousey's scorn with smiles, Pena, the show's breakout star, makes no secret of her contempt for Rousey. Pena set the tone in the season's first fight, scoring what at the time was considered a stunning upset of veteran Shayna Baszler, which prompted Rousey's first on-camera tantrum of the season.

The Team Tate fighter continued to look impressive in the Finale, as she was simply light years ahead of Rakoczy, pummeling her with ground and pound until the fight was stopped.

At the post-fight news conference, Pena made it clear she hasn't gotten over Rousey's cold shoulder.

"Whether Ronda has one penny or $10 million, the point I was trying to make there is she has her nose in the air and she acts like she's better than everyone else," Pena said. "She went on the show being like, 'I'm Team Real Mean versus Fake Nice.' Well if she was so real, why didn't she tell me that I didn't deserve to breathe the same air as Shayna Baszler? Why didn't see tell me that to my face instead of saying it on camera behind my back?"

Then, there was the men's side of the equation, which lacked much of the drama of the women's tournament. It also lacked ratings. It didn't take long to establish that TUF episodes featuring women's fights drew more viewers than episodes featuring the men. Indeed, before the season was through, UFC president Dana White announced the company plans on adding a 115-pound women's strawweight division with an eye on a future TUF season.
That TUF 18's eight-man field was lackluster was underscored by the fact the Holdsworth-Grant final was the only men's bout on the Finale card, as none of the other men's bantamweights were given a slot.

But if there's a silver lining, it's that Holdsworth looks legit. A member of Sacramento's well-respected Team Alpha Male gym, Holdsworth was head-and-shoulders above the men's pack, as he won all three of his tournament fights via submission.

While it's much too soon to project stardom on the kid, he's at the right gym – training with the likes of Urijah Faber, Joseph Benavidez and Chad Mendes – and displays both sound fundamentals and a noticeable killer instinct to his fights.

"[UFC backstage coordinator] Burt Watson said [Friday] at the fighter's meeting, 'It's harder to stay here than it is to get here,' the unbeaten Holdsworth said. "So I'm just going to work my hardest to do my best and keep becoming a more complete fighter and just keep winning fights."

As it was, the heated Rousey-Tate interview came down before either Pena or Holdsworth won their fights. So Rousey was in a real mood when they were reconvened on Fox Sports 1's post-fight show. This time, Rousey claimed she had not watched a minute of the series, and railed against the concept of reality television and the often-inaccurate images of the people they portray.

She has a point. Everyone knows reality TV shows are heavily edited to fit storylines. But there's no doubt that at the start of The Ultimate Fighter 18, Rousey was the UFC's golden girl, and Tate the perpetual runner-up. At the end of a six-month process (dating back to the show's filming), Tate was all smiles and Rousey was all snarls on live TV. And that's one she can't blame on an editor with an agenda.

1) This my exact point... You guys can say all you want that Ronda sold the fight and that she is all about winning and blah blah blah but image in this sport is just as important as skills... Anderson Silva beat countless guys when he was champ and most of them just faded away after their lost but Chael Sonnen came in with a over the top cockiness that propelled him after the fight and has lead people to like him allot. Big Country came off like a cocky douchebag on TUF but afterward he turned that image into a loveable fat guy who you rooted for.

Rousey came into this season as the golden girl who was propelling Women's MMA into the spotlight and leading the charge of Women's MMA.... But then she proved to be someone who was drinking her own koolaid to much and proved to be a spoiled brat who has skills...

Kind of reminds me of people like the Diaz Brothers and in the music world Kanye West... Guys who know they have skills but instead of just being humble and letting everyone else praise them they feel the need to shout from the rood tops that they are great in a cocky and serious manner... Many fighters do this and we say self confidence which is fine but when they are humbled they take a step back and respect the fighter who has humbled them... The fighters mentioned above do not do this and thus they are hated for it by the majority...

2) Perfect example for those of you who claim that it was editing that made her look bad... No editing was done at this live event and Ronda came off as a bitch who couldn't be bothered to fake interest in what was going on around her at this event. You pride yourself at being the star of Women's MMA and you feed the media that fake shit when Dana tells you to but here we are at a live event where Women's MMA is prominent and you come off as a bitch who just wants to leave... Then to make matters worse you actually say it over and over again so that the audience who cannot read your body language can know how you feel... Her fighters lost and this is a reflection of her coaching... It is a fact she believes her students failures are a direct reflection of her coaching or else she would have never cut that weight after her guy couldnt make weight. So she feels a lost by her team is a lost by her and this goes to show that she is a sore loser...

Anderson Silva is a cocky mofo who I despise in the octagon because of his cocky ways yet when he got KO he showed grace and did not come off as a sore loser... She clear comes off as a sore loser while Misha comes off as the golden girl for MMA...

3) Stay classy Ronda LMAO... Yeah we know you don't like her and we know you are going to whip her ass and yeah you are mad that you have to be there but Jesus Christ show some fucking respect for the sport you are in... There is ample time to promote your fight this month but she made the night all about HER and how she was pissed and about how she hates Misha and SHE SHE SHE...

In conclusion... Her image took a huge hit in the eyes of the fans... You guys all say it is fine because people will turn in regardless if they hate her or like her... I agree... But why fuck with a good thing? Had she put on a fake smile and now shown her cunt side then she would have just simply gained fans along with Tate and it would have helped Women's MMA... For me I was always on board to order a Rousey fight and now I am not... I am not the only one so this hurt her more then it helped her seeing how she didn't need any help...

[Chris Shields]

Her whole "I have fighters that I need to go talk to, but I'm stuck here with yiu guys" crap, was just that. I'm sorry, but these are professional fighters that have coaches, family, and friends, not to mention that they're grown ass adults. Sure, losing a fight sucks, but she acted like she was the most important person in their life and without her back there to console them, they'd blow their brains out or something. Not to mention, doing those interviews is part of her job. You can say that all she has to do is go out and fight, but that's bullshit. Part of her job as not just a champion, but as one of the coaches, is to do those interviews. She came off like a complete bitch during the season, and especially during the finale.

[Midas]

Her whole "I have fighters that I need to go talk to, but I'm stuck here with yiu guys" crap, was just that. I'm sorry, but these are professional fighters that have coaches, family, and friends, not to mention that they're grown ass adults. Sure, losing a fight sucks, but she acted like she was the most important person in their life and without her back there to console them, they'd blow their brains out or something. Not to mention, doing those interviews is part of her job. You can say that all she has to do is go out and fight, but that's bullshit. Part of her job as not just a champion, but as one of the coaches, is to do those interviews. She came off like a complete bitch during the season, and especially during the finale.

Yes sir!

[Chris Shields]

Yes sir!

Not sure if sarcasm or you're agreeing with me. I feel like you're agreeing with me, but that response feels like something I would sarcastically respond with.   

[Jon Tees]

This will probably come off as crass or crude but it just seemed to me like Rousey hasn't gotten properly laid in a while. Either she isn't in a relationship or whoever she's in a relationship with just isn't cutting it in the bedroom.

[J-Reb]

This will probably come off as crass or crude but it just seemed to me like Rousey hasn't gotten properly laid in a while. Either she isn't in a relationship or whoever she's in a relationship with just isn't cutting it in the bedroom.

Yep, pretty crass.  And majorly douchey.

[Flins.]

The whole thread is a little douchey.

[Midas]

Not sure if sarcasm or you're agreeing with me. I feel like you're agreeing with me, but that response feels like something I would sarcastically respond with.   

Just agreeing...

This will probably come off as crass or crude but it just seemed to me like Rousey hasn't gotten properly laid in a while. Either she isn't in a relationship or whoever she's in a relationship with just isn't cutting it in the bedroom.

Yeah I don't think that is it...

The whole thread is a little douchey.

LMAO... Yeah I would expect something like this from someone who is drinking the Rousey kool aid... We know you HEART Ronda so ofcourse you would think this entire thread is douchey but the truth is the truth and Ronda is a fucking bitch plain and simple...

[Jon]

This will probably come off as crass or crude but it just seemed to me like Rousey hasn't gotten properly laid in a while. Either she isn't in a relationship or whoever she's in a relationship with just isn't cutting it in the bedroom.

You could make this one of your thread topics for later.

Just agreeing...

Yeah I don't think that is it...

LMAO... Yeah I would expect something like this from someone who is drinking the Rousey kool aid... We know you HEART Ronda so ofcourse you would think this entire thread is douchey but the truth is the truth and Ronda is a fucking bitch plain and simple...

You've made it quite clear you don't like her... So much that it's taken three threads to show your dislike for her. I think we get it, but it doesn't mean we have to agree with you. You see her one way, others see her another.

[Midas]

I am not asking for anyone to agree with me...

So lets recap...

First Topic is about a quote where she claims she can beat the HW Champ...
Second Topic is about how Misha beat her in a poll that Rousey would have won hands down prior to TUF...
Third Topic is about how the public's perception of her has taken a huge hit...

These are not topics I am creating to hate on Rousey these are news worthy subjects about a ongoing debate here in the MMA boards...  Is a 180 occurs and all of a sudden her image bounces back I will post about that but at this moment Rousey is making waves because she is a bitch and that is what I am posting...

[Flins.]

Just agreeing...

Yeah I don't think that is it...

LMAO... Yeah I would expect something like this from someone who is drinking the Rousey kool aid... We know you HEART Ronda so ofcourse you would think this entire thread is douchey but the truth is the truth and Ronda is a fucking bitch plain and simple...

Your stating that off the back of an edited reality TV show. And you don't think it is a little douchey?

I am not a fan of Ronda either tbh, I wasn't before TUF, and I'm still not a fan. But this whole obsession about her at the moment, I'm not going to lie, I find it annoying as hell. And guys bitching and complaining about her bitching and complaining... well, it just makes my head hurt. Like I said in the other thread, there are countless other men like her in this industry but the backlash she has received from the show, in my opinion, just shows how ripe misogyny is in today's society.

And if you want to post real new stories, that aren't just intended for you to spout your hatred towards Ronda, where is the discussion of Shane Del Rosario? Or former Bellator champ Makovsky joining the UFC after Dana came out and slated Askren following his release? These are true MMA discussion, not whether you think Ronda Rousey is a bitch or not.

[Midas]

Your stating that off the back of an edited reality TV show. And you don't think it is a little douchey?

No... I think you are acting a little douchey for getting all pissy about trashing Rousey...

I am not a fan of Ronda either tbh, I wasn't before TUF, and I'm still not a fan.

You could have fooled me man because you seem to be getting but hurt each time we talk about her...

But this whole obsession about her at the moment, I'm not going to lie, I find it annoying as hell. And guys bitching and complaining about her bitching and complaining... well, it just makes my head hurt.

Simple solution... Don't read it... Problem solved! No one made you come in this thread and comment or even read it... Plain and simple!

Like I said in the other thread, there are countless other men like her in this industry but the backlash she has received from the show, in my opinion, just shows how ripe misogyny is in today's society.

That is so laughable.... Obviously you didn't watch the same show I did and didn't watch her act like a cunt on the finale... But keep acting like it is a women and man issue...

And if you want to post real new stories, that aren't just intended for you to spout your hatred towards Ronda, where is the discussion of Shane Del Rosario? Or former Bellator champ Makovsky joining the UFC after Dana came out and slated Askren following his release? These are true MMA discussion, not whether you think Ronda Rousey is a bitch or not.

Fair question where is it? Last time I checked you are not posting shit besides defending Rousey... If you want to strike up a convo about those subjects then go post a article and start up the convo and until then if you don't like the subject matter then just move on...

You can't complain about the subject matter if you refuse to contribute... Last time I checked I have posted 11 topics in the last month and only 3 about Rousey and you have posted a gran total of 2 so don't go acting as if I am not contributing other things to these boards....

You want to talk about those other subjects then go ahead and so it but if you don't you have no room to complain about the subject matter...

[Midas]

In conclusion if you want us to shut up about Rousey then fine I will give you your wish... I will not mention her again and I will move on...

I feel no need to argue about something so silly so if it end the argument then you are right and I am wrong...

[Flins.]

An 'argument' spawned because you got your panties in a bunch over be called 'a little douchey'. Trust me, you're not alone in your mindset, it is quite a common opinion across a lot of the internet, so my irritance with the subject isn't isolated to posts you are making but just the topic in general. Your a forum leader on here mate, and generally I've not seen you post anything that has rubbed me the wrong way in the past, but I hate fighter bashing - and generally this whole explosion of Ronda hate is way over the top and unnecessary. E.G. calling her a fucking cunt, whilst deploring her for her behavior and her attitude towards others... can you see the hypocrisy? Or should I just give up on you as a lost cause?

[Midas]

An 'argument' spawned because you got your panties in a bunch over be called 'a little douchey'. Trust me, you're not alone in your mindset, it is quite a common opinion across a lot of the internet, so my irritance with the subject isn't isolated to posts you are making but just the topic in general. Your a forum leader on here mate, and generally I've not seen you post anything that has rubbed me the wrong way in the past, but I hate fighter bashing - and generally this whole explosion of Ronda hate is way over the top and unnecessary. E.G. calling her a fucking cunt, whilst deploring her for her behavior and her attitude towards others... can you see the hypocrisy? Or should I just give up on you as a lost cause?

Over the top and unnecessary to you... I am allowed my opinion and if you don't like it then you are allowed to voice your opinion...

It is clear at this point that I was a huge Rousey fan and saw her act like a spoiled child who is arrogant and cocky and because of this my opinion on her has changed.

Jon worded it perfectly but for some reason you want to talk down to me like I am a child and say shit like "Or should I just give up on you as a lost cause?"...

Seriously? So not thinking what you are thinking means I am a lost cause...

If that is the way you feel buddy then by all means do your thing... Continue on and don't worry about me because I am a "Lost cause" as you like to put it LMAO