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A18 SPORTS
Thursday 29 december 2016
Ronda Rousey saying little to promote UFC 207 comeback fight

GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ron-
da Rousey is returning to
mixed martial arts Friday
after a 13-month absence,
taking on Amanda Nunes
for the bantamweight title
at UFC 207.
Just don’t expect to hear
about it from Rousey.
The once-dominant cham-
pion has largely declined
to promote her comeback
bout, skipping nearly every
traditional pre-fight media
responsibility. Rousey’s si-
lence leaves Nunes and
the other fighters on the
card in the awkward posi-
tion of doing all the dirty
work to sell the UFC’s end-
of-the-year, pay-per-view
event in Las Vegas.
“I really don’t know what’s
going on with Ronda right
now,” Nunes said recently.
“This whole thing, I really
don’t know. ... I think the
UFC is doing it for her. I think
the UFC has been doing all
the promos for her. I think In this Feb. 22, 2014, file photo, Ronda Rousey looks around after defeating Sara McMann in a UFC 170 mixed martial arts women’s
bantamweight title bout in Las Vegas.
she can do whatever she Associated Press
wants.”
Rousey is the most market- Rousey’s decision to limit hours of interviews in her something. I feel like they to another bout, Rousey
able name in the game herself to a few talk-show ever-improving English to promote her, so she can be was allowed to bypass the
and perhaps the biggest appearances and a fleet- promote the show. The Bra- strong, like, ‘Ronda, Ronda, usual scrutiny and tedium.
mainstream star in MMA ing interview or two has zilian champion thinks she Ronda, Ronda.’ But she The UFC isn’t even holding
history, and her return forced Nunes — who has knows why the UFC has giv- knows she’s the challenger. a pre-fight news confer-
from last year’s shocking a tiny fraction of Rousey’s en a free pass to Rousey. I’m the champion.” ence this week.
knockout loss to Holly Holm fame — to carry the pro- “The UFC wants to make You might not know it from Promotion is usually a ma-
should be one of the big- motional weight along with it easier for her, so she the UFC’s posters, videos jor factor in pay-per-view
gest sports events of the talkative men’s bantam- doesn’t feel like she’s not and TV commercials, which sales, and the UFC hasn’t
holiday period. Rousey (12- weight champion Domi- the champion anymore,” are thoroughly dominat- always been accommo-
1) largely vanished from nick Cruz, who takes on Nunes said. “They want to ed by Rousey’s glowering dating to its stars. Even
public after her defeat, but unbeaten Cody Garbrandt make her feel like she’s not face. She agreed to ap- Conor McGregor, its char-
agreed to return for a title in the co-main event at T- the second. They want to pear in those in-house pro- ismatic two-belt champion,
shot at Nunes (13-4), who Mobile Arena. make me the second, to motions, in which Nunes is was pulled from UFC 200
won the belt in July. Nunes has gamely done make her get stronger or practically a footnote — a this year when he balked
decision criticized on Twit- at a request to fly from his
ter by no less than Joe Ro- training camp to Las Vegas
gan, the UFC’s lead color to promote.
commentator. Nunes has a stake in the
Rousey became one of pay-per-view revenue
the world’s most famous from their fight, so she has
female athletes during her ample motivation to pro-
meteoric rise from Olympic mote — and ample rea-
judo to MMA dominance, son to be disappointed in
thrashing a series of over- Rousey’s decision to stay
matched opponents. silent. The champion looks
Her rise ended last Novem- at her heavy lifting before
ber with a head kick from UFC 207 as a reasonable
Holm, who made Rousey price for her chance to get
look unprepared in their a career-defining win.
lop-sided fight. Rousey “The only thing that I look
cited the grueling grind of for in my career is this thing
fight promotion as a fac- right here: the belt,” Nunes
tor in her loss, and she was said. “Be the champion.
stunned by the gleeful re- And whatever they want
actions of schadenfreude to do with Ronda, they can
on social media after her do. (Her name) promotes
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So when she finally agreed of pay-per-views.”q