Way back in September of 2012, UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey was interviewed by Maxim after she was selected for the magazine’s “Hot 100,” and she was asked about what it meant to her to carry such distinction. To many, her comment may have seemed harmless and factual, but to UFC ring girl Arianny Celeste, it marked the beginning of a silent feud. That comment?
It would have been really funny if I’d beaten [UFC Octagon Girl] Arianny Celeste, because that would be like a triathlete coming along and beating the runners in a marathon. Like, “Ha-ha, it’s your job to show your titties—I do that better than you!” Maybe next year. She’s only getting older, and I’m reaching my prime.
This is interesting primarily because Rousey is 27 years old and Celeste is 28 years old, so it’s not exactly like they missed each other in high school. But I assume that Rousey means that she’s only getting better as a fighter, while age can sometimes be a detriment to the career of a model, or someone who only gets by on her looks. Clearly, Celeste would have viewed that as an insult, and that’s why she’s been sitting on that comment for almost two years, just waiting for the right time to strike.
AND THAT TIME WAS FRIDAY! Sorry, I just felt like yelling for effect.
Celeste was a guest on the non-rhyming MMA Junkie Radio show on Friday night, shortly after Rousey’s weigh-in for UFC 170, and the ring girl didn’t pull any punches when talking about her perception as Rousey the champion and Rousey the role model.
“I don’t really like the way she carries herself,” Celeste told MMAjunkie Radio on Friday night, just a half-hour after appearing on stage at the weigh-ins for UFC 170 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. “I don’t think she’s a good role model for women. I think that women should empower each other and give each other a little pat on the back.” (Via MMA Junkie, H/T to Cage Potato)
Except it’s hard for women to focus on empowering each other when their job is to beat each other up while promoting their sport and trying to convince people that women fighters in the MMA are legitimately enjoyable. They can’t get into the octagon and go through the motions for the sake of smiles and hugs. If Rousey’s mean to Miesha Tate, she’s mean. Who gives a crap? Personalities sell PPVs. But this is still about something else.
“I’ve personally been talked about by her, and I don’t even know her. I’ve met her twice,” Celeste said. “She said a couple things in her Maxim interview. A lot of people pointed it out to me, but I didn’t really acknowledge it.”
Celeste said that regardless of what anyone thinks about what it takes to do her job, hey, give her some credit.
“She’s paving the way for women’s MMA, and I’ve made being a UFC Octagon Girl into a career. She should definitely recognize that and be nice,” she said.
But she doesn’t have to. Rousey’s job is to sell tickets and PPVs by kicking her opponents’ asses and being as mean as she wants to be along the way. If there are other female fighters that would rather play the role of cheerleaders and role models then they can do that all they want. Hopefully, this beef between two women who work on different floors in the same office building dies quickly and doesn’t escalate into something dumber. I’d hate to have to get really serious if Rousey starts badmouthing Brittney Palmer.
