Ronda's popularity is unlike any other fighter.

[dissolved]

I still am waiting for the world-wide talent pool to grow past 27

 

[JDawg9]

Damn dude, you are really being dense.

It's not just her. She's the Vanguard, the pioneer. She *will* retire one day. And guess what? She'll have paved the way for someone to talk her place. You're busy slobbering all over Conor ITT and he's a perfect example of the same exact thing. The old stars are either retiring or going to jail. He's coming in to take their place and draw new fans while invigorating old ones.

What exactly do you think is going to happen to 135 when Ronda leaves? That they just close up shop and throw away millions in potential buys? No, they're going to look for a pretty, marketable Ronda replacement that's also a stone cold killer in the cage. Much like other divisions, they might lack a wildly popular champion. But I guarantee it'll be a hundred times easier to retain Ronda fans if there's a serviceable replacement itching to face plant a bitch. She's making it okay now for women to watch MMA later, how do you not see this?

Your lack of foresight is clouding your view of the big picture.

The thing is it's a lot easier said than done to do that, you need a very dominate fighter that is also willing to promote themselves. I can't speak for Brazil since their big time fighters are on the decline but in Canada you don't ever hear people getting hyped up for fights anymore since GSP was gone unless their the hardcore fans that will watch the fights no matter who's fighting.

 

[javjacob]

Damn dude, you are really being dense.

It's not just her. She's the Vanguard, the pioneer. She *will* retire one day. And guess what? She'll have paved the way for someone to talk her place. You're busy slobbering all over Conor ITT and he's a perfect example of the same exact thing. The old stars are either retiring or going to jail. He's coming in to take their place and draw new fans while invigorating old ones.

What exactly do you think is going to happen to 135 when Ronda leaves? That they just close up shop and throw away millions in potential buys? No, they're going to look for a pretty, marketable Ronda replacement that's also a stone cold killer in the cage. Much like other divisions, they might lack a wildly popular champion. But I guarantee it'll be a hundred times easier to retain Ronda fans if there's a serviceable replacement itching to face plant a bitch. She's making it okay now for women to watch MMA later, how do you not see this?

Your lack of foresight is clouding your view of the big picture.

Could go either way. Look at boxings popularity when Tyson was fighting vs what it was after he retired. Even old past prime Tyson sold more PPV than anyone after him. The down fall of boxing in 2003 helped the uprising of MMA in 2005. Nobody cares about boxings HW division anymore.

If you don't have a new big star to fill the shoes of the old star people will lose interest. As of right now if Rousey decided to retire the womens 135lb division would crumble.

 

[thebizkit]

Damn dude, you are really being dense.

It's not just her. She's the Vanguard, the pioneer. She *will* retire one day. And guess what? She'll have paved the way for someone to talk her place. You're busy slobbering all over Conor ITT and he's a perfect example of the same exact thing. The old stars are either retiring or going to jail. He's coming in to take their place and draw new fans while invigorating old ones.

What exactly do you think is going to happen to 135 when Ronda leaves? That they just close up shop and throw away millions in potential buys? No, they're going to look for a pretty, marketable Ronda replacement that's also a stone cold killer in the cage. Much like other divisions, they might lack a wildly popular champion. But I guarantee it'll be a hundred times easier to retain Ronda fans if there's a serviceable replacement itching to face plant a bitch. She's making it okay now for women to watch MMA later, how do you not see this?

Your lack of foresight is clouding your view of the big picture.

Its straight up idiotic to believe that Women will ever make up a significant chunck of the MMA fandom. People act like great female combat fighters never existed before Ronda. Layla Ali was a BIG name before the huge availability of social media. Where is the ever growing female boxing fanbase?

Gina Carrano was a huge star too. Did she not make it ok for women to watch MMA? Chris Cyborg has been the most vicious female fighter around, but shes not pretty so she doesn't make it ok for women to watch MMA?

You also made my point for me when you said "retaining Ronda fans." Ronda fans ARE NOT MMA FANS. There is a HUGE difference. Once Ronda is gone, so are most if not all of HER fans. They tune in to watch HER. Not Miesha Tate, Cat Zigano, bethe correia or any other 135er.

If anyone has a legit chance of making something that can truly last in womens MMA its Joanna Jedrzejczyk.

 

[javjacob]

Also, the country with the most beautiful civil constitution ever devised by man, a country that won two world wars, dropped an atomic bomb, put a man on the moon, and dictates terms and conditions to every other country in existence.

What does that have to do with anything? The USA has a population of 300 Million compared to the worlds population of 7 Billion.

 

[Mo8_98]

What does that have to do with anything? The USA has a population of 300 Million compared to the worlds population of 7 Billion.

it has to do with the fact that she doesn't just hail from a vapid consumer culture infected land, but one that is diverse and has offered much.

 

[javjacob]

it has to do with the fact that she doesn't just hail from a vapid consumer culture infected land, but one that is diverse and has offered much.

Ok but his point was that Rhonda is really only big in America which only has a population of 300 Million. I don't get how just because we are a diverse country makes our 300 Million better. To UFC PPV sales 1 fan still = 1 fan.

 

[Dragonseeker]

Its straight up idiotic to believe that Women will ever make up a significant chunck of the MMA fandom. People act like great female combat fighters never existed before Ronda. Layla Ali was a BIG name before the huge availability of social media. Where is the ever growing female boxing fanbase?

Gina Carrano was a huge star too. Did she not make it ok for women to watch MMA? Chris Cyborg has been the most vicious female fighter around, but shes not pretty so she doesn't make it ok for women to watch MMA?

You also made my point for me when you said "retaining Ronda fans." Ronda fans ARE NOT MMA FANS. There is a HUGE difference. Once Ronda is gone, so are most if not all of HER fans. They tune in to watch HER. Not Miesha Tate, Cat Zigano, bethe correia or any other 135er.

If anyone has a legit chance of making something that can truly last in womens MMA its Joanna Jedrzejczyk.

Ronda fans are not MMA fans? I know a couple guys who are training MMA themselves talking non-stop about Ronda tonight. I myself have been watching MMA since Tito and Ken and I train part time and I love Ronda. Layla Ali wasn't at Ronda's current level of popularity.

 

[javjacob]

Ronda fans are not MMA fans? I know a couple guys who are training MMA themselves talking non-stop about Ronda tonight. I myself have been watching MMA since Tito and Ken and I train part time and I love Ronda. Layla Ali wasn't at Ronda's current level of popularity.

Wow you just don't get it do you? The point is take Rhonda out and the division will crumble. Rhonda is carrying the womens 135lb division on her back. Tate is the only other somewhat star in that division and she doesn't have a fraction of the popularity Rousey has. Rousey is the division which is fine until she leaves or retires.

 

[MilesAbove]

She is easily the biggest mma star with non-mma fans, ever. Conor is the biggest star inside the MMA world.

Not true, but go on.


Retail: Conor, 60% of all sales. Ronda..... 0%. Maybe that changes after today, but just saying.

 

[Bowerman]

The UFC does not get her or any fighter on the tonight show or the espn body issue. That's ronda and her manager

The UFC spent more money specifically marketing Conor vs aldo then Mendes fight than any ronda fight.

I don't know what your so excited about. But those two things I just listed are facts and not opinions. So theres that

Of course the UFC does for her initial exposure. They bought her ESPY award as well. It was already on the UFC's news feed the day before the award was even given out.

 

[devaughnb]

Im a big fan of conor, but i think Ronda is the bigger asset long Term. Ronda could very well be on top of the world for a decade. She is way ahead of the competition. As good as conor is, i doubt he could hold the belt longer than 3 years in even the best of scenarios. Both are huge stars though, conor could probably cross over to movies too.

 

[thebizkit]

Ronda fans are not MMA fans? I know a couple guys who are training MMA themselves talking non-stop about Ronda tonight. I myself have been watching MMA since Tito and Ken and I train part time and I love Ronda. Layla Ali wasn't at Ronda's current level of popularity.

Fans who strickly watch Ronda fights are Ronda fans. You clearly showed interest in MMA before Ronda and like her. I'm talking about those casuals who don't order the PPV, go to buffalo wild wings and blow up social media because they love Ronda.

 

[Taric]

Lol Conor bless you TS

I know a lot of people that know who Ronda is, but don't know who Conor is.

Not that it matters. Kimbo Slice is more popular than either of them.

 

[TheJackal]

I can't speak for other parts of the world

But in the United States Ronda is on a different plane of fame than conor.

In Australia : not on the news, don't know of a single pub that played the fight.

 

[I WILL CUT YOU]

It is-- her crossover appeal is staggering especially among women, celebrities, and athletes.

Conor seems to be a bigger ppv draw, I imagine it's only a matter of time for him as well. Two very different forms of popularity and to to me comparing the two is apples and oranges.

 

[I WILL CUT YOU]

Of course the UFC does for her initial exposure. They bought her ESPY award as well. It was already on the UFC's news feed the day before the award was even given out.

Lol the espys are fan voted, bub. Plus, best fighter was handed out prior to the ceremony.


What is it like, being so butthurt over a female fighter?

 

[Riki Newton]

It's interesting, I'm looking forward to hearing the PPV numbers. Haven't her past few as a sole headliner been fairly low?

When Conor beat Chad there were a few posts in my FB feed about it but it meant nothing to most. I think I made a post about UFC 189 being awesome and got like 10 likes.

Last night and today it's been like 50% Ronda and a picture I reposted of me with her has 70+ likes which doesn't happen normally as I'm not very active on FB (and I'm not popular, etc blah blah)

 

[Red Ninja]

The thing about Connor vs Ronda popularity is that. People who don't really follow mma know Ronda by name. When it comes to Connor it's that Irish guy. Mean they know of him, but not like Ronda.

 

[HyperNinja]

Disagree with OP, I was in a 100,000 seater stadium last night to watch the ppv and everyone left before the main event, this stadium was packed during previous TUF finales and fight nights, but not last night!