Ronda Rousey apparently reamed out Paige VanZant at a Reebok photo shoot
As former UFC women’s bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey had her fair share of intense rivalries.
Who could forget her first – and arguably greatest – rivalry with current UFC champion, Miesha Tate? Or how about her serious beef with Brazilian Bethe Correia? Heck, even “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holly Holm caught some of Rousey's vitriol, right before kicking her in the head and ending Rousey’s reign as champ last November.
Now, we’re finding out that apparently Rousey’s mean-mugging gaze extends past her own division, and no female UFC fighters are safe.
Her latest victim, according to rival Miesha Tate, is none other than current "Dancing with the Stars" frontrunner and UFC 115-pound contender Paige VanZant.
“You know what she did to Paige?” asked Tate on Thursday’s edition of "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast. “So, Paige was also at that VIP party [referencing a prior party both she and VanZant were attending] – and Paige and I have spoken, we’re friendly, but I don’t know her that well – but anyway, she felt the need, she came up to me, she’s like, ‘Miesha, Miesha, I have to tell you this experience I had with Ronda.' "
As Tate tells it, VanZant and Rousey found themselves at a Reebok shoot a while back and it didn’t take long before Rousey confronted the young fighter for "crossing her."
Apparently, VanZant, 22, who is an admirer of Rousey, was looking around the building for the former champion in an attempt to snag a quick photo when Reebok officials told her to steer clear of Rousey.
“’Stay away from Ronda, don’t ask her for a picture,” said the Reebok officials, according to Tate. “And I guess Ronda came later that day, and seeked (sic) her out – just, like, cussed her out.”
Tate continued, “I guess Ronda came up and was like, “[expletive] you, you fair-weather [expletive], how dare you cross me. [VanZant was] like, ‘Cross you, what are you talking about?’ And [Rousey is] like, ‘You congratulated Holly Holm for beating me, so [expletive] you, you fair-weather, 115-pound…' "
After hearing VanZant’s story, Tate replied, “Honey, welcome to my world.”
And just in case you’re wondering if this was just a nasty case of "she said, she said," VanZant confirmed the story to TMZ in an official statement: “It appears that I offended Ronda by congratulating Holly after her victory. The incident was very shocking and totally unnecessary."
So there you have it: Never congratulate the victor of a Ronda Rousey fight – unless, of course, the winner is Rousey.
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Ryan McKinnell is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports Cagewriter blog. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
