Bellator Chairman/CEO Bjorn Rebney isn’t sold on Ronda Rousey being the top draw in mixed martial arts.
Rebney explained his logic in evaluating the UFC women’s bantamweight champion an interview with MMA Junkie last week.
"I would never want to verbalize disrespect for a fighter ... but to characterize her as the biggest star in MMA is, I believe, a little disrespectful to a lot of fighters who have put in year after year after year in this game," Rebney said.
Rebney went on to say that Rousey, who has only been fighting professionally for 37 months, has been given favorably matchups to keep her star on the rise, similar to former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar.
The Bellator head honcho made his remarks in response to UFC President Dana White declaring the “Rowdy” one “the biggest star in UFC history.”
Bellator does not have a women’s division and boasts little mainstream star power outside of lightweight superstars Eddie Alvarez (the current champion) and Michael Chandler and middleweight titleholder Alexander Shlemenko.
The 155-pound rivals will headline the first company PPV at Bellator 120 on May 17, while Shlemenko will bump up to fight UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz at 205 pounds.
Does Rebney make a valid point when talking about Rousey or is this a classic situation of sour grapes?