Ronda Rousey: A double standard?

Credit: USA Today Sports 

By Chris Huntemann, Columnist

Fewer fighters experienced a more rapid ascension in mixed martial arts than Ronda Rousey. She seemingly entered the spotlight overnight. Since she won the women’s bantamweight title in 2012, she’s been one of the most recognizable faces in all of mixed martial arts, if not the most recognizable. But, as with any entrance into the limelight, Rousey's fame also translates to her receiving extra scrutiny.

From the weigh-ins for her first title fight against Miesha Tate (starting at the 6:52 mark):



 To the pair’s stint as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter:







Rousey has displayed the attitude and demeanor that’s straight out of the Nick Diaz or Michael Bisping School of Villainy. With it came a flood of criticism both from her fellow fighters, fans and some media types alike:

I wish @MieshaTate would just unload a can of whoopass on Ronda Rousey. Ronda was such a poor sport on @UltimateFighter
— Igor Vovkovinskiy (@Igor2tall) June 30, 2014

I don't blame the fans who booed Ronda Rousey last night. No one likes a poor sport.
— Miss Giggles (@AndreaKcc) December 29, 2013

Also a shame to see Ronda Rousey, the best female fighter on earth by far, show absolutely no class after a great fight with Tate #UFC168
— Mark Heath (@mark__heath) December 29, 2013

Now, compare those tweets about Rousey to similar tweets about the previously mentioned Diaz:

#mma It’s Time to Face the Facts, Nick Diaz is Really F ***ing Awesome: First off I apologize for the spora... http://bit.ly/hBDBGb #ufc
— Travis McPherson (@TravisMcP) April 10, 2011

That said, here’s a tweet from a knowledgeable colleague I follow on Twitter:

So, at the #UFC175 workout session, Rousey received the most cheers and highest welcome from fans. Yet all these people allegedly hate her.
— Dizz - #WSOF11 (@TalkMMA) July 2, 2014

So it’s possible my belief is unfounded. But, Rousey has never made apologies about who she is or tried to be someone she’s not. So why is she on the receiving end of boos and venom from certain fans, while male fighters who exhibit the same demeanor are cheered and revered?

One argument is that Rousey showed poor sportsmanship when she refused to shake Miesha Tate’s hand after their fight at UFC 168 last year. While many fighters shake hands, hug, etc. after they fight each other, many don’t. Let’s not kid ourselves though. It’s called the Ultimate Fighting Championship for a reason. At its core, it’s about two individuals stepping into a cage with the intent to beat each other up. Many times, the two people stepping into that cage don’t like each other, as is the case with Rousey and Tate.

Is it possible that the only two people who bring this side out of Rousey are Tate and Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino? Perhaps. Leading up to her fights against Liz Carmouche and Sara McMann, Rousey was basically complimentary of her opponents. Carmouche even trained with Rousey and her team during her stint as coach on “The Ultimate Fighter.”

But overall, I still think some MMA fans hold Rousey to a different standard than male fighters. What is the cause of this? I don’t know. Is it a case of “too much, too soon” with Rousey’s unprecedented success? Is it based in some subconscious belief in so-called “traditional” gender roles - that men should be aggressive and women should be submissive?

If you’re not a fan of Ronda Rousey, that’s well within your rights. But for her to be criticized for the same reasons other fighters are celebrated doesn’t pass the smell test.  

Chris Huntemann writes about mixed martial arts in the state of Maryland. He also contributes his thoughts to our site on the UFC, Bellator, and World Series of Fighting. Check out his blog, or follow him on Twitter: @mmamaryland.