WWE star Ronda Rousey enters UFC Hall of Fame
Sunday 10 June 2018 11:02, UK
WWE star Ronda Rousey has become the first woman to enter UFC's Hall of Fame.
At 31, Rousey - who faces Nia Jax for the Raw women's championship at Money In The Bank live on Sky Sports Box Office on Sunday June 17 - also becomes the youngest person to be given the honour of induction.
"This is an immense honour, to not only take part in bringing women to the forefront of this sport, but now the UFC Hall of Fame," said Rousey.
"May I be the first of many."
Rousey, who competed in judo at the 2008 Olympic Games, arrived in UFC undefeated and was unbeaten until her loss to Holly Holm in November 2015. She lost her next fight to Amanda Nunes at UFC 206 in December of 2016, which was her last UFC fight before she signed with WWE earlier this year.
"There would be no women in UFC without Ronda Rousey," said UFC president Dana White.
"Ronda is an absolute pioneer who helped me personally, and a lot of other people, look at women in combat sports differently. She accomplished everything she set out to do with UFC and became a global icon and role model in the process."
Rousey performed superbly on her WWE debut, teaming with Kurt Angle to defeat Stephanie McMahon and Triple H in a contest widely accepted to be the best match of the night at WrestleMania in April.
She will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame ceremony as part of the company's Fan Expo in Las Vegas on July 5.
Meanwhile, Saturday's UFC pay-per-view event, UFC 225, saw former WWE champion CM Punk taste defeat for the second time. He was beaten on a unanimous decision by Mike Jackson.
