Feb 22, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Ronda Rousey reacts after defeating Sara McMann (not pictured) in their UFC bantamweight championship bout at Mandalay Bay.
Feb 22, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Ronda Rousey reacts after defeating Sara McMann (not pictured) in their UFC bantamweight championship bout at Mandalay Bay. REUTERS

CEO Lorenzo Fertitta thinks that UFC women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is the most impressive UCF athlete he's ever worked with but Brazilian bantamweight Bethe Correia says that Rousey is not the best. Fertitta expressed the impact of Ronda Rousey on the promotion and fighting culture of females.

"I feel like this is a seminal moment, not just in sports, but in culture altogether, this movement that is being led by Ronda Rousey," Fertitta said in a report in Yahoo! Sports. "It's female empowerment."

According to the UFC CEO, Rousey is an exceptional athlete, perhaps the most impressive that they had ever worked with. He further said that being the best of the best, Rousey is blazing a trail for females in the sport.

Meanwhile, Bethe Correia, the aggressive bantamweight who has beaten two of Rousey's teammates, thinks that the 27-year-old is not the best. Correia said that the Four Horsewomen is a big joke and she's just waiting for the opportunity to end the group once and for all. She claimed that he woman who came to stay will be the only one to retire undefeated. According to Correia, even as the UFC champion, Rousey has not proven herself as the best MMA female fighter yet but she recognises what she did for women's MMA.

Although Ronda Rousey has agreed to the fight against Bethe Correia, UFC President Dana White says that Cat Zingano is the one who is in queue. As such, Correia's best bet is to position herself as a replacement in the event that somebody gets injured.

In a recent interview in UFC Tonight, Ronda Rousey revealed that Cat Zingano's never-say-die attitude makes her a unique fighter and the riskiest opponent that she's going to face. Apart from Zingano's undefeated record, she has also displayed her ability to deal with adversity. But then again, Ronda Rousey revealed that she's been eyeing Bethe Correia and she expects to see her in title contention soon. Ronda Rousey will defend her title against Cat Zingano on February 28 at UFC 184.

To reach the author of this article e-mail d.ramos@ibtimes.com.au

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