UFC officials announced during the UFC 225 pay-per-view (PPV) broadcast that former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is set to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame as a first female fighter on July 5 at The Pearl at the Palms in Las Vegas. (Via MMAMania)
“There would be no women in UFC without Ronda Rousey,” said UFC President Dana White in an official press release. “Ronda is an absolute pioneer who helped me personally, and a lot of other people, look at women in combat sports differently. She accomplished everything she set out to do with UFC and became a global icon and role model in the process. Today, the women’s divisions are packed with incredibly talented fighters and they produce some of the best fights you’ll ever see. We’re proud to announce Ronda as the first woman to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.”
Ronda 31, who won a bronze medal in the 2008 Olympics, turned to MMA in 2010, and in 2012, she had won a Strikeforce title. After first title defense, Ronda was introduced into UFC and became the first woman to win a fight and organization’s inaugural women’s bantamweight champion with her victory over Liz Carmouche.
Ronda defended the title six times, which remains the record for most title defenses by her in UFC history. She eventually becomes the biggest Pay-Per-view draw.
Ronda opened her career with a 12-0 and eventually left the UFC after two brutal defeats against Holly Holm in 2015 and current bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes in 2016, now become a pro-wrestler in WWE.
Rousey will join the UFC Hall of Fame as a member of the Modern Wing which honors fighters who turned pro on or after November 2000. She will be joining former light-heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin, former two-division champion BJ Penn and longtime bantamweight contender Urijah Faber.
