UFC Champ Ronda Rousey Signs on for One-Year Deal as New XYIENCE Ambassador

Whenever Ronda Rousey returns to the Octagon to defend her UFC bantamweight title, expect a subtle change in her weigh-in gear or combat attire.

As announced by major nutritional sports company XYIENCE, "Rowdy" will be the company's newest brand ambassador, making her the only current female member of the "Team Xyience" mixed martial arts crew.

According to an official press release sent to Bleacher Report MMA, Rousey will appear in "advertising, on point-of-purchase materials and on the brand's website" in addition to making appearances at "beverage trade and consumer events."

Per the announcement:

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"Ronda's excellence in athletic performance is only part of what makes her a huge inspiration to athletes and fans," explains John Lennon, XYIENCE's president. "She is a fearless agent of change within MMA, whose passion for her sport and dedication to achieving her goals embodies the spirit of our brand’s philosophy: Power to Win. We are proud to be associated with such a talented and articulate athlete."

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Rousey, currently displayed on the main XYIENCE website, joins Team Xyience alongside major UFC names like former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell, former welterweight champion Matt Serra and British star Dan Hardy.

Aside from XYIENCE ads and branding, MMA fans will see more of the women's bantamweight champion during Season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter.

For the first time in the show's history, Rousey and No 1. contender Cat Zigano will star as the first TUF female coaches, with a cast of men and women's bantamweight fighters competing for a set of six-figure UFC contracts.

Rousey made a successful transition out of her former home at Strikeforce with her first title defense at UFC 157, where she survived a first-round scare to submit challenger Liz Carmouche, the UFC's first openly-gay athlete. Like nine other women before her, Carmouche lost to Rousey by armbar inside the very first round.

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McKinley Noble is an MMA conspiracy theorist. His work has appeared in NVision, PC World, Macworld, GamePro, 1UP, MMA Mania & The L.A. Times.