Ronda Rousey becomes first woman to enter UFC Hall of Fame
Friday 6 July 2018 09:40, UK
Ronda Rousey has become the first woman to be inducted into the UFC's Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Las Vegas.
Rousey, who is currently serving a 30-day suspension from WWE Raw after attacking general manager Kurt Angle on air, was the UFC's first women's champion and held the bantamweight belt from 2012 to 2015.
"I am not the first person who had the ability to do this, but I am here because I am the first person you took the time to watch," Rousey said in her induction speech.
"That you put the energy into supporting. Because of you, I am the first woman standing up here accepting this incredible honor. May I be the first of many."
Rousey made six defences of her UFC crown and won her first 12 professional MMA fights, earning a reputation as a devastating attacker by finishing all but three of those contests in less than a minute.
UFC president Dana White had previously said women would not compete in his company but had his mind changed by the prowess of Rousey, who won a bronze medal in judo at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
"In my almost 18 years as UFC president, I've learned many valuable lessons," White said at the ceremony. "And the one that comes to mind tonight is never say never, especially when you're talking to UFC.
"In my defence, when I famously said women would never fight in the UFC, I had never met Ronda Rousey. I had never met the woman who would change everything. She started by changing my mind and she ended up changing the world."
Rousey has received widespread praise for her performances in WWE to date, and her match with Angle against Stephanie McMahon and Triple H is a strong contender to be the best match of 2018.
