By Carlos Boogs
UFC champion Ronda Rousey explained why she took a verbal shot, on live television, in the direct of WBC/WBA welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.
After winning the award for "Fighter of The Year" at the ESPYs on Wednesday night, Rousey took aim at Mayweather during a televised interview.
Rousey took a swing at Mayweather's controversial past with domestic violence. Both Mayweather and Rousey were nominated for this year's ESPY for "Fighter of The Year." Terence Crawford and Gennady Golovkin were also in the running.
Last year at the ESPYs, Mayweather and Rousey were nominated for the same award, but that time Mayweather came out on top.
“I wonder how Floyd feels being beat by a woman for once. I’d like to see him pretend to not know who I am now,” Rousey stated during her post-award interview.
Rousey's issue with Mayweather stems from an interview (
which ironically appeared on BoxingScene.com and shot by David Greisman in 2014 ), where Mayweather was asked a question regarding Rousey and the pound-for-pound king replied - "I don't know who he is."
"Somebody asked Floyd - 'what do you think would happen if you and Ronda Rousey fought.' And he said 'Ronda Rousey? I don't know who he is.' And then someone explained who I am and he was like 'I ain't know who that is.' It was a real subtle and snarky jab at me. I was actually nominated for 'Best Fighter of The Year' that year with him. So I know he knew who I was. He actually has MMA fighters signed to him so I know he knows who I am," Rousey said to America's Pre-Game.
"I was just sitting there on the couch one day, post surgery, my leg just got operated on, and I was like 'okay, I'm patient. I'm going to get you at the right time. And you're going to say 'maybe I shouldn't have said that about that chick.' I waited a whole year. And if I didn't win best fighter, I would have waited another year. I would have waited two years. I would have waited for the right time to remind him that he shouldn't mess with me. I would be interested to hear him pretend that he doesn't know who I am now."
Rousey has become very friendly with former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, who had more than his fair share of demons in the last 30 years. Rousey is very impressed with the way Tyson has matured and cleaned up his life, and she hopes Mayweather will do the same at some point.
"I think there is a possibility for him to redeem himself,
but I haven't seen that kind of effort from him yet. Mike is a great example, where he has put on so much effort over the years to better himself as a man. He's owned up to the things he's done. He's denied the things that he hasn't done. He paid his debt to society and almost lost everything for it. I admire that king of effort and humility out of Mike just as much as I admire his fighting.
He really gained my respect as a man. I really hope that Floyd Mayweather grows up to be like Mike Tyson," Rousey said.
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