Ronda Rousey Unloads on Hunter Campbell: “He Doesn’t Know How To Market Anybody”

Ronda Rousey may have hung up her gloves except for occasional, selective comebacks, but she clearly hasn't buried the hatchet with the UFC. Months after her successful comeback against Gina Carano under Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions banner, the former bantamweight champion is still looking back at the opportunity she believes the promotion let slip away. 

What began as a rejected proposal for a long-awaited superfight has now turned into one of the biggest talking points surrounding MVP's rise in the MMA space. Judging by the superstar’s latest remarks, she believes the UFC has nobody to blame but itself.

Ronda Rousey Doubles Down on Criticism of Hunter Campbell

During a recent exclusive to “The Fight Culture,” Rousey reflected on her record-breaking Netflix return against Gina Carano and didn't mince words when discussing about UFC’s Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell, who previously rejected the idea of staging the fight inside the Octagon.

According to the Judoka, Campbell questioned how the UFC could market a fight between two women in their 40s. Ironically, the bout became one of the biggest MMA streaming events of the year and made Rousey’s victory even sweeter.

"It was extremely validating, especially after Hunter Campbell told Gina that he didn't know how he was gonna market a couple of 40-year-olds, so it was really nice to take that comment and throw it in his face," Rousey stated.

Another Vicious Salvo from "Rowdy"

She then took things up a notch, adding, "It's not that he doesn't know how to market us, it's that he doesn't know how to market anybody. He missed a huge opportunity letting us go. In his own arrogance he allowed us to create the Lamborghini to his Ferrari. He's created the hugest rival the UFC's ever going to have because he's so arrogant, stupid, and chauvinistic."

The comments add another chapter to the 39-year-old’s strained relationship with the UFC, a promotion where she became the company's first female superstar and helped propel women's MMA into the mainstream.

Instead of happening under the UFC banner, the long-discussed Rousey-Carano clash was promoted by MVP and streamed globally on Netflix, where it reportedly drew massive viewership. Rousey capped her comeback by submitting Carano in just 17 seconds before announcing her retirement.

Despite stepping away, the Olympian recently admitted she hasn't completely ruled out another appearance. "We'll see, we need to kind of like, reconvene and see what the future looks like at this point," she said. "What I hope they do, with or without me, is that they continue to make their fights a huge event... because that's what is missing in MMA. It's just becoming every weekend, background noise."

Could Cris Cyborg Finally Lure Ronda Rousey Back?

If Rousey does decide to compete again, one familiar name has already been smoking and poking for a massive showdown. Following the announcement of the blockbuster merger between MVP and the PFL, longtime rival Cris Cyborg wasted little time reigniting one of MMA's biggest "what if" matchups. 

Reacting to the merger on social media, the Brazilian simply wrote, "Hey @RondaRousey, I have an idea," along with an unofficial poster of the duo dated for December 12. 

As far as the storyline goes, during Rousey's UFC glory days, a showdown with the Brazilian-American was constantly discussed but never materialized, with disagreements over weight classes and promotional circumstances preventing the fight from happening. 

That rivalry, however, has only intensified over the years, with both legends trading jabs publicly, including Rousey's accusations surrounding Cyborg's past performance-enhancing drug violations. Interestingly, the newly merged MVP-PFL platform may now provide the clearest path yet for finally making the fight happen.

MVP Merger Could Give Cyborg a Fight with Rousey

Cyborg is currently under the PFL banner and is scheduled to defend her featherweight title against Ketlen Vieira in what has been promoted as her retirement fight. However, her message to Rousey immediately after the merger announcement fueled speculation that she might delay those plans if the long-awaited superfight finally becomes a reality.

For her part, Rousey hasn't responded publicly to Cyborg's latest callout. She has consistently maintained that her comeback against Carano was intended to be a one-off, though her recent comments suggest she remains open to discussing future opportunities with MVP.