UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey talked with Ariel Helwani to promote UFC 175 and had a few things to say about WWE. It’s no secret that Rousey is a WWE fan and that WWE is interested in having her possibly make an appearance at SummerSlam. Here are some highlights:
CM Punk:
“No one can make you have passion for something if you don’t. I felt that way about judo, it was over. I was over it and didn’t want to do it anymore. If he wants to come back and finds that passion again, I would love to see that but if it’s time to move on with his life then he has 100% of my support in that as well.”
Showing off wrestling moves and if she’s planning for a post-UFC WWE career:
“It’s so similar to planning out fight scenes. I was just kind of messing around and thinking about cool moves to do in fight scenes. I really think of WWE like the purest form of stunts, kind of like in movies they say the purest form of acting is theater because it’s live and all in one shot. I feel like WWE is the same for stunt work. I just kind of try to borrow from them a little bit and maybe I can steal some of their stunt work, throw it in a movie. If an opportunity comes up to show up and be a guest host or whatever, that would be pretty cool.”
– UFC president Dana White didn’t take too kindly to the most recent season of The Ultimate Fighter. The series, No. 19 overall, will finish up this coming Sunday night at The Ultimate Fighter 19 Finale with two finals.
White, though, was outspoken throughout the release of the series on FOX Sports 1, and that continued during his recent UFC Download interview.
“There’s a fight on Saturday night with two titles on the line, and then Sunday, I’ve said it publicly and I’ll say it again – the worst season of The Ultimate Fighter – but headlined by BJ Penn and Frankie Edgar,” White said. “These kids better fight their asses off on this Finale because their UFC lives depend on it.”
Eddie Gordon and Dhiego Lima meet in one final, while Matt Van Buren and Corey Anderson collide in the other.
– Urijah Faber takes no issue with being part of Saturday’s UFC 175 prelims on FOX Sports 1. In fact, Faber asked for the spot instead of one on pay-per-view.
“People have to pay for pay-per-view, but the prelims on FOX Sports 1 are free and go out to more fans,” said Faber, during a recent interview on UFC Tonight. “All the people in bars can watch for free. I asked my management to get that spot.”
Faber, a former WEC champion and contender to the UFC bantamweight title, will be facing Ultimate Fighter alum Alex Caceres in the prelim main event. “The California Kid” is unbeaten in non-title fights throughout his career.
“It’s weird being on an undercard,” he admitted. “I’ve never been on one before, but it’s a small price to pay to let all my fans see me for free.”
– Weigh-ins for Saturday’s UFC 175: Weidman vs. Machida card took place earlier today. Wrestling Inc. will have complete coverage of the action, while final weigh-in results can be found below.
In the main event, Chris Weidman defends his middleweight title against Lyoto Machida, while Ronda Rousey puts her female bantamweight gold on the line against Alexis Davis.
MAIN CARD (PPV/10 p.m. ET)
UFC Middleweight Championship
Chris Weidman (185 lbs.) vs. Lyoto Machida (184.5) for Weidman’s title
UFC Female Bantamweight Championship
Ronda Rousey (135) vs. Alexis Davis (135) for Rousey’s title
Stefan Struve (251.5) vs. Matt Mitrione (254)
Uriah Hall (185) vs. Thiago Santos (185)
Marcus Brimage (135.5) vs. Russell Doane (136)
PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX Sports 1/8 p.m. ET)
Urijah Faber (136) vs. Alex Caceres (135)
Ildemar Alcantara (170) vs. Kenny Robertson (171)
Chris Camozzi (185) vs. Bruno Santos (185)
George Roop (135) vs. Rob Font (135)
PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass/7 p.m. ET)
Luke Zachrich (185) vs. Guilherme Vasconcelos (185)
Kevin Casey (185) vs. Bubba Bush (185)
