White fires back at critics saying Ronda Rousey doesn't deserve title shot
When Ronda Rousey steps back into the Octagon at UFC 207, 13 months will have passed since her last fight against Holly Holm.
Rousey suffered the first loss of her mixed martial arts career than night when Holm unleashed a vicious head kick in the second round to knock out the former Olympic bronze medalist while taking away the UFC women's bantamweight title.
As much as Rousey would have liked to avenge her loss in her first fight back, Holm has suffered back-to-back defeats in her most recent bouts and no longer holds the UFC title. Instead, Rousey now faces current champion Amanda Nunes on Dec. 30.
The announcement that Rousey was getting a title shot in her first fight back received some criticism from fellow fighters and fans on social media who didn't believe she should get that opportunity off a loss in her last fight. Those complaints are falling on deaf ears because UFC president Dana White didn't see any other alternative than giving Rousey a chance to reclaim the title she defended six consecutive times before losing to Holm.
"It's one of those things you can never win with people anyway," White told FOX Sports recently. "So she doesn't deserve to fight for the title but if we brought her back against somebody else — 'oh they're trying to give her an easy win, they're trying to build her!' and this and that.
"If you start listening to Twitter and people on Twitter, good luck to you."
Just after the loss happened last November, Rousey was expected to face Holm in a title fight rematch at UFC 200 in July.
Rousey opted to take time off instead, which prompted Holm to accept a fight with Miesha Tate in March at UFC 196. Holm suffered a fifth round submission loss and surrendered the title to Tate that night. Tate eventually dropped the belt to Amanda Nunes in July.
A year later, Rousey is back and White says she's only being afforded the same opportunity but unfortunately Holm is just no longer the champion.
"When do we not put the best against the best? That's what we do," White said.
"Ronda lost one fight but Ronda is still one of the best fighters on Earth. So she will fight one of the other best fighters on Earth."
