Ronda Rousey to Mayweather, McGregor: 'If Money Is the Motivation Then F--K You'
From Ric Flair to Floyd Mayweather to Conor McGregor, one of the most reliable and entertaining characters combat athletes play is the arrogant, bombastic rich man. Ronda Rousey, though, isn't a fan of that gimmick.
Speaking with ESPN The Magazine, the former women's bantamweight champ gave her thoughts on her unrepentantly wealthy constituents.
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"If money is the motivation, then f--k you," said Rousey (h/t MMAFighting.com). "All these 'Money' people...Money Mayweather, Money McGregor. I see they're trying to do an angle or whatever. People buy it...The worship of money in our society is so deep. But just because that's the easiest way to keep people's attention or entertain them doesn't mean that's the right way."
To a degree, it's easy to see where Rousey is coming from. A fighter whose background lies in the thankless field of Olympic judo, Rousey traveled the globe and put her body on the line, basically, for free. That's an athletic endeavor which is easy to romanticize, but one that often leaves competitors penniless, even if they come back with hardware (something Rousey herself experienced).
While there's no actual ill will between Rousey and McGregor (Mayweather may be a different story), she insists her UFC 207 bout with Amanda Nunes is all about getting the belt back, not the actual paycheck.
"I will never put my body at risk for money and views ever again. What makes me happy is winning and being the best in the world and that's it," she said. "F--k all the promotion and energy spent on anything that's not me winning. And anyone who tries to tell me I owe them energy on frivolous s--t during camp out of 'loyalty' or 'friendship' deserves no loyalty from me and is no friend of mine."
The build to her fight has been uncharacteristically quiet for Rousey, who took every opportunity to appear on television ahead of her fight with Holly Holm at UFC 193. It will be interesting to see if this new, but old, approach pays off for her.
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