Hats off to Ronda Rousey for constantly finding unique, clever ways to keep her name in the news, while also promoting women's mixed martial arts to non-sports fans.
In July alone, Rousey appeared 'artistically nude' on the cover of ESPN the Magazine's 2012 Body Issue, found herself on TMZ after feuding with Kim Kardashian and called out Michael Phelps for having a diva-like attitude towards his fellow U.S. Olympians.
She also stirred the proverbial pot by advising Olympians to bring condoms to the 2012 London Olympics because "there are a lot of beautiful people from a lot of countries in the best shape of their life, an entire world all coming together in one village."
For all of Rousey's wackiness this month, it was only fitting that she closed out July by sporting tight spandex in a sexy sparring session with Carmen Electra.
According to a Daily Mail report, Electra sported a tight-fitting pink top with black leggings as she worked on some kicks and strikes with the current Strikeforce women's bantamweight champ.
Fan's Take
This was a win-win situation for all parties involved. For Rousey, it helped get her name out there to non-sports fans who probably never heard of her before.
Let's be honest: Rousey can't sneeze these days without it getting written about in an article. Her sexy sparring session with Electra was obviously a fun PR stunt to help promote her fight against Sarah Kaufman on Aug. 18, and it made her look great.
If this was a "real" sparring session, it's unlikely that Rousey would have opted to not wear mitts. Electra was wearing a lot of makeup, so that's another tell-tale sign that the entire session was a public relations setup.
Electra Still Sizzles At 40
Regardless of intent, it gave Electra a chance to show to the world that she still looks amazing at age 40.
She is mostly known for her appearances in 1990s television shows and movies, including spots on Baywatch and Singled Out, along with roles in Meet the Spartans, Scary Movie, Good Burger and others.
Joining forces with Rousey gave her instant cred with a younger crowd who may not be as familiar with her work from the mid-1990s as the old-school fans.
Best of all, this was a big win for the fans. Since MMA's core audience is the "males age 18-34" demographic, a photo session featuring two of the most beautiful women of our generation was obviously a brilliant marketing move.
In this photo, Electra works on her knee strikes. Rousey and Electra share a laugh in this one, and the latter throws a light jab here.
Kudos to Rousey for having a fun throwback to the 1990s. Let's just hope she doesn't have a grappling session with the Backstreet Boys once the calendar turns to August.
Eric Holden is a lifelong UFC fan and supporter of the sport of MMA. Follow him on Twitter @ericholden.
