UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey stopped by ESPN’s “First Take” on Wednesday to talk about the long awaited showdown between WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao and WBA/WBC welterweight kingpin Floyd Mayweather. Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
The most recognized female bad-ass on the planet and current co-star of the upcoming action flick ‘Fast and Furious 7’, jumped in the ring with popular hosts Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless to offer her take on the May 2 mega-bout. When I asked by Bayless (a die-hard Pacquiao fanatic who would give Mayweather the middle finger if he saw him stranded on a highway), just why she thinks Pacquiao would win (she does), Rousey cited the Filipino icon’s speed and relentlessness.
“It’s a very close fight– but if Manny doesn’t just jump in and uses his speed and relentless pressure, he’s going to give Floyd a very hard time,” Rousey declared (over the protests of Smith). Stephen A. (a huge fan of Mayweather who would drown Pacquiao in a public swimming pool with glee) wasted no time defending Floyd and started asking Ronda some tough questions.
“What exactly do you mean Ms. Ronda Rousey by giving Floyd a hard time?” Smith demanded, after citing her friendship with Pacquiao. “Are you trying to say that Manny will win by decision, or by a knockout, or by something as quick as what you deliver from time to time?
“Well since I’m an actual fighter and not just someone who talks about it, I know what I’m talking about!” Rousey fired back. “I can’t say for sure exactly what will happen, but I know he presents some very unique problems Floyd hasn’t dealt with yet.”
It was all love though – don’t get it twisted – as the segment featured friendly wit throughout, but Rousey was quick acknowledge Mayweather’s deadly precision and reiterated its a “very, very close fight”. Rousey, who murked Cat Zingano via armbar- again – after a ridiculous backward cartwheel off her head (for Christ’s sake), will be in attendance on May 2 courtesy of a Bob Arum hook-up. For perspective, her recent fight was just :01 shorter than this much debated sparring clip from Floyd the other day.
She also revealed that she regularly works on strictly boxing when not in actual preparation for an opponent (her next scheduled fight is @UFC 190 vs. Bethe Correia), and spoke of her desire to face Laila Ali (although she acknowledged the improbability). But what most fans would want to know is if she plans on presenting unique problems to Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino, who recently joined the UFC to set the stage for a showdown.
Or did she?
“I would love to fight Cyborg, but 24 hours after UFC announced out of competition drug testing she asked to be released,” Rousey revealed. “She left. She’s the one that needs to get off drugs and make weight. I’m the champion- I have the belt. And someone who takes performance enhancing drugs (PED’s) is a person that lacks belief.”
Told you she was a bad-ass.
