While Ronda Rousey will head off to Hollywood soon to shoot a new movie, ‘Mile 22’, she’s also been talking aobut potential opponents for her next UFC bantamweight title defense and at the moment it appears that up and coming Brazilian fighter Bethe Correia is doing a good job of positioning herself as the best option.
In the Octagon following her victory last weekend Rousey called out Correia as a potential opponent she wants to lock horns with in the future.
“Every day I challenge Ronda, I ask for the fight,” Correia, who was in attendance at UFC 184, stated afterwards. “I’m gonna do whatever it takes. I already feel like the champ. I don’t feel like Ronda is the champ. I feel like I’m the one that is the champ and all that is missing is the belt. I’m going to do whatever it takes. I’m going in there to kill her, spank her, to kick her ass. If it is what it takes, I’m gonna do it.”
Rousey clearly took note of her comments and on the Jay Mohr radio show earlier this week and admitted that the feisty challenger, who is currently ranked No.7 in the division with a perfect 9-0 record, had got her attention.
“There is this young, up-and-coming Brazilian chick with an undefeated record that beat two of my friends and has been trying to rub it in my face and pretty much trying to get in an argument with me, because, like you said, when you’re in an argument with me, you’re suddenly more important,” Rousey said. “I guess this chick figured that out, but messing with mama bear is a very bad idea.”
In fact, Rousey is starting to float the idea that perhaps she could go into hostile territory and fight Correia in her own stomping grounds in Brazil.
“I want to go and fight her in Brazil and beat her in her hometown and that would be the best way I could really feel like I’ve vindicated my friends, to go to her hometown and beat her in her hometown and be total Rocky IV on it.”
Unsurprisingly it’s an idea that Correia would be more than willing to accept.
“It would be a dream come true to fight her in Brazil because I want to bring the title to Brazil,” Correia said in an interview with MMAFighting.com. “I’m a patriot woman and I love to fight against foreigners, especially against Americans. I love to represent Brazil. I’m motivated by pressure and responsibility, I fight better this way, and I want to bring the UFC title to my country. It’s going to be wonderful.
“I beat her little friends in the United States, one of them in her hometown, so it’s a chance for Ronda to come try to avenge her losses,” she continued. “Ronda got pissed that I beat them in front of her. I hope Ronda was a good friend, that she supported her friends when they lost to me, because she will need a shoulder to cry on after I beat her.”
So, there’s definitely some heat building for this match-up, but despite her best efforts Correia might not get her dream fight right away.
Rumor has it that the UFC denied her the chance to face off with Rousey in the Octagon after UFC 184, and with ‘Rowdy’s’ movie shoot likely to keep her out of action until this Fall, there’s talk that Correia may have to take a potential title eliminator in the mean time, with the No.6 ranked Jessica Eye (the only other fighter in the top 8 rankings who hasn’t fought Rousey yet) being her most likely opponent.
