The rivalry between combat sports superstars Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Ronda Rousey simply won’t go away.
Mayweather took a jab at Rousey in an interview Thursday, telling ESPN: “I’ve yet to see any MMA fighter, or other boxer, make over $300 million in 36 minutes. When she can do that, then call me.”
On Friday, the UFC defended its biggest star by sending out a tweet with the hashtag #SheDontNeed12Rounds as a reference to the fact Mayweather, unlike Rousey, has trouble finishing opponents.
Last month, Rousey won the 2015 Best Fighter ESPY Award and she had some harsh words for her fellow nominee.
“I can’t help but really say that I wonder how Floyd feels being beat by a woman for once,” Rousey said on the red carpet at the event. “I’d like to see him pretend to not know who I am now.”
However, the boxing superstar was humble in defeat.
“A while back I didn’t know who Ronda Rousey was, so I’m pretty sure she got upset,” Mayweather said. “I want to say congratulations to Ronda Rousey and the UFC. You guys have done a tremendous job and I’ve won probably six or seven ESPYS for Fighter of the Year. And I truly believe she deserves it. Congratulations to Ronda Rousey.”
The UFC women’s bantamweight champion became the first mixed martial artist to win the Best Fighter ESPY. The only other winners of that award are Mayweather (six times) and Manny Pacquiao (twice). Rousey was also named Best Female Athlete beating tennis superstar Serena Williams, skier Lindsey Vonn and college basketball player Breanna Stewart.
Rousey has been so dominant in her mixed martial arts career – she is now 12-0 in MMA after her recent destruction of Bethe Correia at UFC 190 – the topic of how she would fare fighting a man, specifically Mayweather, is often brought up.
Although the notion of the two actually fighting is ridiculous, the topic is a popular one and UFC president Dana White has said on multiple occasions that Rousey could easily defeat Mayweather.
