Ronda Rousey Renews Criticism of UFC Executive Hunter Campbell
Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey has once again criticized UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell, claiming the promotion missed a major opportunity by failing to stage her long-awaited fight with Gina Carano.
Speaking after the success of the inaugural Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) MMA event, which featured Rousey and Carano in the main event on Netflix, Rousey said the UFC underestimated the appeal of veteran female fighters.
According to Rousey, Campbell once questioned how a fight between two women in their 40s could be marketed. She argued that the problem was not the fighters but the UFC’s inability to recognize their value.
“It wasn’t that he didn’t know how to market us. He doesn’t know how to market anybody,” Rousey said.
The former champion also claimed the UFC’s decision to pass on the matchup allowed MVP MMA to seize the opportunity and deliver a successful event. Reports indicate the fight attracted more than 17 million viewers, sparking renewed debate about the commercial appeal of veteran stars and crossover MMA events.
Rousey went further, suggesting that MVP MMA could emerge as one of the UFC’s biggest competitors in the future, accusing Campbell of making costly business decisions.
The comments add to Rousey’s long-running criticism of the UFC leadership since stepping away from mixed martial arts, while also highlighting the growing competition in the combat sports promotion landscape.
