Ronda Rousey calls UFC 'one of the worst places' to go to be 'paid fairly'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Ronda Rousey blasted UFC during a press conference before the Netflix bout that will see her fighting against Gina Carano on May 16. She claimed that the UFC she knew no longer exists while calling it “one of the worst places” to go to be “paid fairly”.

During the conference on Tuesday, March 10, Rousey shared that she even spoke with UFC CEO, Dana White, to bring the fight to the mixed martial arts promotion company, but things did not work out.

Ronda Rousey says her fight with Gina Carano was initially scheduled for New Year's

She said, “I knew that we could promote this on our own and that would probably be the most lucrative way to go about it for us. But I have such love and respect for Dana that I wanted to bring this to him first.”

“I said, 'I can do this on my own, but I'd rather fight for you than fight for me. Just make it make sense for me.’ And originally we were going to do it on New Year's, and it was going to be the last fight under [UFC's] pay-per-view model, and he offered me the best pay-per-view structure ever, and I was so grateful,” she revealed.

The 39-year-old then noted that Gina refused to fight at the time since she “wanted me to fight the best version of herself. I think that was fate.”

Ronda Rousey says UFC's deal with Paramount makes it 'barely recognizable now'

“Once [UFC] moved into the streaming model [with new broadcast partner Paramount], it’s just not about putting on the best fights possible anymore,” she asserted.

Rousey also told reporters that since White no longer controls the UFC, it’s “barely recognizable now. They need to be saved from themselves, and luckily I’m here to be their hero.”

While speaking with reporters, the former professional wrestler addressed the pay issues UFC fighters face.

Ronda Rousey claims UFC fighters are 'living poverty level'

“It used to be that the UFC was the best place that you could come in combat sports to make a living and be paid fairly. Now it's one of the worst places to go. It's why so many of their top athletes are leaving to go and find pay elsewhere,” she asserted.

Rousey also noted that UFC fighters are finding it difficult to “support their families”.

“They're living poverty level, fighting full-time. This company just got $7.7 billion. There's no reason that they can't afford to pay their athletes at least a living wage. Not even that, at least be able to match what these athletes are making in other sports,” she added.