Dana White evokes Ronda Rousey to motivate UFC 297’s lackluster co-main event – ‘Step up and deliver’

Ronda Rousey’s shadow somehow still looms over the Final Preventing Championship (UFC) ladies’s Bantamweight division though “Rowdy” hasn’t competed in more than seven years, leaving the promotion after back-to-back knockout losses.

Throughout a latest interview with Sportsnet, UFC CEO, Dana White, addressed the upcoming ladies’s 135-pound title struggle between Raquel Pennington vs. Mayra Bueno Silva for the vacant strap in UFC 297’s pay-per-view (PPV) co-main occasion this weekend (Sat., Jan. 20, 204) in Toronto.

Yes, this co-main event.

Earlier than breaking down the affect of the struggle and what is at stake for the winner, he was fast to remind everybody that Rousey was the one who constructed the division and ushered within the period of ladies’s blended martial arts (MMA) underneath the UFC banner a decade in the past.

“These two, you need to take a look at that division and assume Ronda Rousey constructed that division. These ladies should step up and ship Saturday night time, you understand,” he stated, earlier than including lots of people could possibly be overlooking this struggle.

“Pay attention a variety of fights get ignored, so make them pay for it Saturday night time,” he continued. Stand out, make the place go loopy and ship. And that’s what they should do. Pay attention we do the bells and whistles, we do all of those different stuff, Saturday night time you need to go in there and present the world who you’re and make the world discuss you on Sunday.”

No point out of Amanda Nunes — who had simply as many 135-pound title defenses as “Rowdy” (six) and knocked her out at UFC 207 — was in sight.

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CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLE DIP! Final Preventing Championship (UFC) kicks off its 2024 pay-per-view (PPV) season on Sat., Jan. 20, 2024, with its inaugural pay-per-view (PPV) occasion of the yr from inside Scotiabank Enviornment in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Within the ESPN+-streamed PPV principal occasion, reigning Middleweight roost-ruler, Sean Strickland, will lock horns with newly-formed rival, Dricus Du Plessis. In UFC 297’s “no good” co-main occasion, Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno Silva will lock horns for Amanda Nunes’ vacated Bantamweight belt. UFC 297 may even function the returns of Neil Magny, Chris Curtis, Arnold Allen and a lot extra!

Don’t miss a single second of EPIC face-punching action!

Since Rousey’s departure in 2016, the division has modified arms just a few instances, although Nunes dominated the division with an iron fist earlier than coughing up her strap to Julianna Pena, who then coughed it right back up to “Lioness” seven months later.

Nunes went on to announce her retirement after her dominant title protection over Irene Aldana, paving the best way for both Pennington and Bueno Silva to grow to be the sixth champion within the division’s historical past, becoming a member of Rousey, Nunes, Pena, Miesha Tate and Holly Holm.

Will you be watching?

Do not forget that MMAmania.com will ship LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow protection of all the UFC 297 struggle card proper here, beginning with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches on-line, that are scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPNEWS at 8 p.m. ET), earlier than the pay-per-view (PPV) principal card begin time at 10 p.m. ET (additionally on ESPN+).

To take a look at the newest and biggest UFC 297: “Strickland vs. Du Plessis” information and notes make sure to hit up our complete occasion archive proper here.