*This content was translated by AI.
Although the comeback fight lasted only 17 seconds, it was truly a historic money spectacle. Ronda Rousey (39), who returned to the fighting stage and sparked widespread discussion, earned a staggering sum approaching 200 million won per second in her comeback bout.
On the 18th (Korean time), the combat sports media outlet "Bloody Elbow" focused intensely on the fact that "Rousey, who denied that the comeback fight was a money-making scheme, actually earned nearly $130,000 (approximately 195 million won) per second while fighting in the ring."
On the 17th, Rousey faced another fighting legend, Gina Karano (44), in a featherweight bout at the main event of the MVP MMA 1 mixed martial arts (MMA) event held at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, USA.
This event was a massive match organized by MVP, founded by former YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul, and broadcast live exclusively worldwide via the global OTT platform Netflix. For Rousey, who left the fighting stage after her defeat against Amanda Nunes in 2016, this was her comeback fight after a full 10 years.
The match on the day ended abruptly and quickly, showing no signs of her long absence. According to the official Daejeon fee released by Andy Foster Joo (Commissioner) of the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC), Rousey's pure fighter money from this match amounted to a staggering $2.2 million (approximately 3.3 billion won).
However, the time it took for Rousey to finish the match against Karano inside the octagon was only 17 seconds. Immediately after the match began, Rousey used her signature judo technique to drag Karano to the ground and secured a submission victory with an armbar in just 17 seconds, concluding the match. In other words, she earned astronomical profits of approximately $130,000, or nearly 200 million won in Hanwha, for every second she spent in the ring.
Before the match, Rousey's former rival and undefeated fighter Kayla Harrison and others had criticized Rousey's comeback as "a cheap money-making scheme."
In response, Rousey strongly refuted these claims at the final pre-fight press conference, using harsh language to display her strong pride. Rousey stated, "There is no discount on greatness in the professional fighting world," and added, "The fight with the most money at stake is the greatest fight. Through this match between me and Gina, we completely shattered the record for the highest-ever Daejeon fee ever received by a woman in fighting history."
"Furthermore, she said, 'I am not chasing greatness; I am greatness itself,' directly addressing the allegations of money-making."
Once the strongest fighter who dominated the UFC bantamweight division and defended her title six times, Rousey suffered consecutive KO losses to Holly Holm and Nunes, leading to an ignominious retirement due to concussion symptoms. During her long absence, she moved between professional wrestling and the film industry. Due to her trapezius and shoulder muscles becoming larger than in her prime, she faced fierce drug controversies and sharp criticism from foreign media and fighting fans.
Regarding her future extension as an active fighter, she drew a firm line. Rousey concluded her last dance by stating, "Even if I cannot become Dana White, I will change the fighting ecosystem as a promoter who protects the rights of female fighters."
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*This content was translated by AI.
