http://msn.foxsports.com/ufc/story/ufc-co-creator-ronda-rousey-is-this-generation-s-tank-abbott-053014
One is a bearded brawler with a beer gut. The other is a brash blonde with a bronze medal. But Tank Abbott and Ronda Rousey might have more in common than you think, according to UFC co-creator Campbell McLaren.
McLaren, who started the UFC with Rorion Gracie and Art Davie in 1993, actually calls Rousey the "new Tank Abbott," because she has been able to draw a completely different kind of fan to MMA, the same way Abbott did in the 1990s.
"She's the first fighter to open up a new audience to the UFC and MMA," McLaren told FOX Sports. "She's smart, she can talk, she's tough. She has real fight credentials. She's got it all."
Abbott is a completely different person, McLaren said, but he did for the early days of the UFC what Rousey is doing now. Back then, long before Zuffa bought the organization, the UFC marketed itself mainly as strictly martial arts. It was all about whose style was the best -- could Gracie jiu-jitsu defeat kickboxing and so on.
The bruising Abbott didn't look like a "martial artist" at all. He was out of shape, had a ratty beard and just looked all kinds of unkempt. In other words, he was an "every man." Abbott looked like your next-door neighbor with a mean streak. And he would knock people out in terrifying fashion. Picture Roy Nelson with even less physical fitness.
"He made it look like he just walked in off the street or from the bar," McLaren said. "That wasn't the case, but it was a great way to promote him."
In reality, Abbott wasn't just a natural bad ass. He trained with the BYU wrestling team, had a boxing background and was extremely strong due to his powerlifting background. Much like Rousey, it was his look (for far different reasons) and the things he said that made him a box-office goliath.
McLaren recalls Abbott saying one time that he gets "sexually excited" when he's beating somebody up. He compares that to Rousey running down her rivals like Miesha Tate and Cris Cyborg. Rousey recently called Cyborg "an it." Comments like that incite anger and McLaren believes that's kind of the point, at least from a marketing point of view.
"The stuff Ronda says is amazing," McLaren said.
The former UFC boss loves the story aspect of MMA. He believes people want to see athletes fight more if they care about them and it
One is a bearded brawler with a beer gut. The other is a brash blonde with a bronze medal. But Tank Abbott and Ronda Rousey might have more in common than you think, according to UFC co-creator Campbell McLaren.
McLaren, who started the UFC with Rorion Gracie and Art Davie in 1993, actually calls Rousey the "new Tank Abbott," because she has been able to draw a completely different kind of fan to MMA, the same way Abbott did in the 1990s.
"She's the first fighter to open up a new audience to the UFC and MMA," McLaren told FOX Sports. "She's smart, she can talk, she's tough. She has real fight credentials. She's got it all."
Abbott is a completely different person, McLaren said, but he did for the early days of the UFC what Rousey is doing now. Back then, long before Zuffa bought the organization, the UFC marketed itself mainly as strictly martial arts. It was all about whose style was the best -- could Gracie jiu-jitsu defeat kickboxing and so on.
The bruising Abbott didn't look like a "martial artist" at all. He was out of shape, had a ratty beard and just looked all kinds of unkempt. In other words, he was an "every man." Abbott looked like your next-door neighbor with a mean streak. And he would knock people out in terrifying fashion. Picture Roy Nelson with even less physical fitness.
"He made it look like he just walked in off the street or from the bar," McLaren said. "That wasn't the case, but it was a great way to promote him."
In reality, Abbott wasn't just a natural bad ass. He trained with the BYU wrestling team, had a boxing background and was extremely strong due to his powerlifting background. Much like Rousey, it was his look (for far different reasons) and the things he said that made him a box-office goliath.
McLaren recalls Abbott saying one time that he gets "sexually excited" when he's beating somebody up. He compares that to Rousey running down her rivals like Miesha Tate and Cris Cyborg. Rousey recently called Cyborg "an it." Comments like that incite anger and McLaren believes that's kind of the point, at least from a marketing point of view.
"The stuff Ronda says is amazing," McLaren said.
The former UFC boss loves the story aspect of MMA. He believes people want to see athletes fight more if they care about them and it
