Strikeforce: Why Ronda Rousey Is the New Face of Women's MMA

Less than three weeks ago, I wrote about Ronda Rousey and how I felt she was going to become the face of Women's MMA.

Now, let's be honest, that wasn't really a wild prediction that was going to cause a lot of controversy amongst MMA fans. However, there were quite a few people who believed if Rousey did win the fight over Miesha Tate it would do more harm than good for WMMA because it would magnify how weak the talent is there.

There were also people who actually believed Tate was going to be able to stop Rousey's takedown attempts and win the fight...I was one of them.

So why the conflicting articles? Why write about Rousey being the face of WMMA, and then just two weeks later publish something stating Tate was going to come away with the win?

Quite frankly, I didn't think Rousey's time was going to come so fast. I knew she was going to beat Tate, eventually. I thought I would be writing this article later this year or early next year.

I was wrong. Ronda and "Rowdy Nation" are ready to propel the sport of WMMA now, and who is going to stop them?

5. Who Else Is There?

The least of my intentions is to belittle the talent pool of Women's MMA. But if Ronda Rousey is not the consensus face of the sport, then who is?

I don't believe the iconic image of the sport is going to be the fighter who makes the most title defenses either. If Sarah Kaufman beats Ronda Rousey in Rousey's first title defense, are we then going to be having this discussion about Kaufman? Probably not.

Win or lose, Rousey has the personality to lead WMMA going forward. Unless Gina Carano comes back to fighting and becomes the champion again, I don't see anybody else being as popular in the near future.

4. Rousey Already Has a Loyal Fan Base

Ronda has built a prominent fan base through Twitter (@RondaRousey).

Currently sitting at 44,000 followers, she regularly interacts with her fans and genuinely seems to appreciate those who contact her.

Her fans are not only growing in numbers, but they are also becoming more and more possessive.

Similar to fans who knew of a band before they hit it big, Ronda's fans spend some time claiming to have been "here" before the mainstream followed suit.

Original fans or not, "Rowdy Nation" is passionate and they are here to stay.

3. Ronda Can Sell Any Fight

For athletes to be the face of their sport, they need to be able to attract an audience each time they perform.

Ronda Rousey was not only able to talk her way into a title fight with Miesha Tate, but she was the driving force of energy leading up to the event.

People have been comparing her to "Chael Sonnen" as of late. She hasn't quite referred to herself in the same manner Sonnen talks about himself, but she is on that path.

As long as Rousey keeps winning, fans will buy into her sales pitches.

2. "Rowdy" Is Very Marketable

Women's MMA needs a big-time sponsor. Currently, Rousey is sponsored by the likes of Mizuno, Polanti Watches and Bas Rutten MMA.

I don't know what is going on behind closed doors, but you'd have to think there is a major corporation out there who would love to have Rousey in a commercial as well as having its logo on her shorts or tank.

Should the day come when Rousey goes corporate, she will be ready to cash in. Think of the confidence she has already at this point in her career.

From a consumer standpoint, it appears Rousey has the complete package. She has an influential way of speaking, is an athlete in the fastest growing sport and can appeal to both the male and female demographic.

I'd be surprised if we didn't see a national advertising campaign featuring Rousey sometime in 2012.

1. She Is a Really, Really Good MMA Fighter

We've established Ronda Rousey has a loyal fan base, knows how to sell a fight and is marketable. Those are key ingredients to being the face of Women's MMA.

The most important reason Rousey is now the face of her sport, however, is because she is flat out good inside the cage.

She doesn't have to rely on the gimmicky promotions, sex appeal or anything else the media wants to tag her with. Rousey can propel the sport with her MMA skills.

Not only is she helping her sport grow, but she is also helping make the ground game more exciting to the casual fan. Many veteran fans of the sport enjoy a technical fight on the ground just as much as they do in watching two fighters exchange punches for three rounds. The casual fan, however, wants to see a slugfest. You won't get that with Rousey, and fans love that about her.

When people watch Rousey fight, they want her to get her opponent to the ground, much in the same way fans get excited when Jon Jones scores a takedown. They know the fight is going to the ground, but they are excited knowing something special is about to happen.

Ronda Rousey is now the face of Women's Mixed Martial Arts, and her win over Tate may end up being the defining moment of the sport. 

For additional information, follow Joe Chacon on Twitter (@JoeChacon).