UFC President Dana White has for years said his mixed martial arts league would never have women in it.
This changed Friday when White told Jim Rome that Ronda Rousey would become the first woman to compete in the octagon.
"She's the champ," White said. "Unless there's a weight division higher than her that the champ would be defending the title, then yeah, she'd be the main event."
The thought process behind placing her in a pay-per-view event is the hope that the novelty of the first woman in the octagon would increase interest.
The former Olympic judo bronze medalist has already been a media hit appearing on late-night talk shows and magazine covers.
"She's a real fighter and she's very talented,” White told Rome Friday. "She has the credentials, the pedigree; I mean everything. I think she has that 'it' factor. I think she's going to be a big superstar. This girl is nasty."
Rousey excitedly tweeted Friday:
Okay I admit it...I'm officially a @ufc fighter :) SO excited! Can't wait to debut! Let @danawhite know who you want my 1st opponent to be!
— Ronda Rousey (@RondaRousey) November 16, 2012
Good luck, Ronda. We'll be watching.
