She didn't even watch the fight. If Ronda Rousey is hungry to reclaim the UFC women's bantamweight championship, she isn't showing it.
UFC president and acting Rousey agent Dana White again shoved Holly Holm aside following Miesha Tate's upset victory to win the title at UFC 196 in Las Vegas.
Miesha Tate UFC 196 Victory Works Out Perfectly For Ronda Rousey
He told ESPN's SportsCenter that the sport's most popular fighter would get first shot at the new champion, via MMA Junkie.
"I think that Ronda now will fight Miesha Tate for the title," White told ESPN's "SportsCenter" after UFC 196. "That's what's going to happen. That's what I said before this fight even happened."
Ronda Rousey Admits Happiness During UFC Hiatus
Rousey kept a low profile during UFC 196, staying away from any media -- social or otherwise. That left White to be her mouthpiece again.
White did have some interesting comments regarding Rousey.
"I texted Ronda, and Ronda wasn't even watching the fight," White said. "I texted Ronda, and she said, 'What happened?' I said, 'Miesha just choked her unconscious.' And she said, 'Well, it looks like I got to get back to work.' I don't know what that means -- if that means acting or fighting."
White may have been joking with that last line, but it is a legitimate consideration.
Wouldn't a former champion show any interest in watching a fight in which she knows she'll be the next challenger for the winner?
"She's scheduled to not come back until October or November, but that doesn't mean I can't ask," White said. "I can ask. Ronda Rousey has worked very hard for three-and-a-half years in this company and believe me, she did anything that was asked of her and went above and beyond the call of duty. If she wants to stay out until October, she can do that."
Holm, who originally was not granted permission to fight anyone before the Rousey rematch until it was revealed that Rousey wouldn't be ready for a rematch in July, was two minutes away from securing victory in Saturday's fight with Tate and is the logical choice for Tate's first defense.
But White is willing to make the entire wromen's bantamweight division wait until Rousey decides whether she wants to come back.
Because if Rousey definitely wants to come back, the fight with Tate already would be close to being announced if it hadn't been already.
Stay tuned.
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