Ronda Rousey Slams UFC Over Fighter Compensation and Valentina Shevchenko's OnlyFans

Former UFC women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, once the prominent face of the Las Vegas-based fight promotion, no longer recognizes the organization she helped build into a major brand.

Rousey believes the Ultimate Fighting Championship lost its original vision after securing a substantial seven-year, $7.7 billion streaming deal with Paramount.

"Once they transitioned to a streaming-centric model, it ceased to be solely about staging the best possible fights," Rousey stated during the Rousey vs. Carano Kickoff Press Conference. She elaborated, "Dana [White] is now legally obligated to shareholders to maximize their value. Regrettably, with the company's reins largely removed from his control, it's barely recognizable. They need to be saved from themselves, and fortunately, I'm here to be their hero."

Rousey reportedly approached UFC CEO Dana White with a proposal for a fight against Gina Carano. However, failing to secure a "respectable deal," both Rousey and Carano ultimately partnered with Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix instead.

Rousey further suggested, "My primary criticisms of the UFC now stem from the fact that Dana is no longer the owner or making executive decisions. He's essentially an employee, not an owner, and I believe it was a significant error not to allow him to manage operations as he always has."

She continued, "The UFC was once considered the premier destination in combat sports for earning a fair living. Now, it's become one of the most challenging places. This is precisely why many of their top athletes are departing to seek better pay elsewhere. It's why champions like Valentina [Shevchenko] resort to selling explicit photos on OnlyFans."

Rousey passionately argued, "Many athletes at the foundational level struggle to support their families, living in poverty despite fighting full-time. This company recently secured $7.7 billion. There's no valid reason they cannot afford to pay their athletes at least a living wage, let alone match the earnings seen in other major sports. Why would they expect to attract the best athletes and aspiring young talents into MMA? Why not pursue football, boxing, or any other sport? Consequently, they are losing talent due to their short-sighted greed."

She concluded by asserting, "They are focused on immediate quarterly profits and shareholders, neglecting their fundamental responsibility to nurture the sport's future."