Ronda Rousey left an impression at open workouts three days before her fight with Gina Carano.
Not only did she flip one sparring partner with force and punch another with snap, she also conducted a lively interview after her workout at an event in Venice Beach, California, streamed by Netflix on Wednesday, May 13.
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Sibley Scoles, hosting the event for Netflix, looked at Rousey and said, “you paint pictures every time you talk. But to paint that picture, your idea is coming to fruition finally on Saturday night. I see the smile. What does that mean to you?’’
Replied Rousey: “I’m not some kind of (expletive) alien. Anybody out there can see an opportunity that doesn’t exist yet and create it for themselves.’’
OK, then.
At 39, Rousey will be stepping into a hexagon cage for her first MMA fight in more than a decade when she squares off with Gina Carano, 44, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, Saturday, May 16. It will be the first MMA event streamed by Netflix.
A former UFC champion and inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame, Rousey is seeking to rewrite the final chapter of her career, which ended with knockout losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes. She also said she wants to create more financial opportunities for MMA fighters.
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After her open workout, Rousey reflected on being in the same neighborhood where she trained in judo for her first Olympics, the 2004 Athens Games.
“It’s just come full circle and it’s so nostalgic and thank you guys for being part of this moment because it means nothing without you to witness it,’’ Rousey, who won an Olympic bronze medal in judo at the 2008 Beijing Games, said in front of a crowd that watched the public workouts.
Rousey urged people to watch the fight – either in person or on Netflix.
“If you’ve got someone in your family (you) need to convert to being an MMA fan, this Saturday is the time to bring them in,’’ she said. “I want MMA fights to be an event again, a reason to get everybody together. ‘’
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ronda Rousey says ‘I’m not an alien’ at workout for Gina Carano fight
