UFC News: Ronda Rousey's Manager Says She Has Not Joined the UFC

"Rowdy" Ronda Rousey, the reigning Strikeforce bantamweight champion, is yet to sign a contract to the UFC. Her manager said as much in an interview with Sports Illustrated on Friday. 

"Right now, nothing has changed," said Darin Harvey of Fight Tribe (Rousey's manager), regarding her current Strikeforce contract. 

He also told Sports Illustrated that Rousey was en route to a weekend appearance in Las Vegas to fly with the Thunderbirds, the Air Force demonstration squadron, not to sign a deal with the UFC. 

Media gossip website TMZ.com was the first media outlet to report that Rousey had signed with the UFC Thursday evening. 

The report was very plausible given the fact that Strikeforce had announced that their card in January will be their last.

Reigning champions Gilbert Melendez, Nate Marquardt and Luke Rockhold will defend their titles on the card and Heavyweight Grand Prix winner Daniel Cormier is scheduled to fight at the event as well.

The latest news regarding Rousey in the UFC is particularly puzzling given the fact that Miesha Tate, the opponent Rousey won the belt from in March, tweeted she had also signed a contract with the UFC Thursday night. 

"So Stoked to be fighting for the @UFC it's been a dream of mine for along time! SO happy it's finally come true :-D," Tate said on her Twitter page. 

Rousey, who has won all six of her professional MMA fights via an armbar in the first round, most recently submitted Sarah Kaufman in just 54 seconds in her August title defense.

UFC president Dana White has been a long-time supporter of Rousey, but is yet to comment about about whether or not she is now officially a part of the world's premiere MMA organization. 

Rousey is also yet to comment on whether or not she has indeed inked a deal with the UFC.