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Ali Abdelaziz responds strongly to Ronda Rouseyâs criticism of Kayla Harrison
TL;DR
Ronda Rousey criticized Kayla Harrison during a press conference for her Netflix fight, questioning Harrison's relevance and impact in women's MMA. Rousey specifically mentioned Harrison's inability to sustain the 145 division and criticized her charisma and earnings.
Key points
- Ronda Rousey criticized Kayla Harrison during a press conference
- Comments questioned Harrison's relevance in women's MMA
- Rousey mentioned Harrison's inability to sustain the 145 division
Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images for Netflix
Ronda Rousey reignited debate in womenâs MMA during Wednesdayâs press conference promoting her Netflix bout with Gina Carano.
Her comments quickly drew attention across the sport, as she took aim at Kayla Harrison, questioning her relevance and impact.
âRowdyâ said Harrison âcouldnât even keep the 145 division aroundâ and criticised both her charisma and earnings.
Those remarks placed the current UFC bantamweight champion in the spotlight, prompting a swift response from those close to her.
Ali Abdelaziz says Kayla Harrison and Ronda Rousey are not comparable athletes
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Harrisonâs manager Ali Abdelaziz strongly defended her achievements, dismissing comparisons between the two fighters.
He wrote on X (formerly Twitter): âKayla Harrison is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, judo world champion, two-time PFL champion, and now a UFC champion.
âRonda Rousey is an Olympic bronze medalist and former UFC champion, coming off two knockout losses. In my opinion, the resumes are not comparable. Good luck to everyoneâ
His response positioned Harrisonâs career as more accomplished across multiple stages, while he appeared to snub Rouseyâs impact in the growth of female MMA.
Kayla Harrison points to Amanda Nunes in GOAT debate while ignoring Ronda Rousey
Harrison also addressed the wider debate without engaging directly with Rousey.
She shifted focus to Amanda Nunes, who had been scheduled to face her at UFC 324 before the current champion withdrew due to a neck injury.
By overlooking âRowdyâ, Harrison wrote on X: âGood morning Amanda Nunes! I canât wait for us to have the greatest fight of all time and take womenâs MMA to a whole new level! The best vs. the GOAT!â
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Q&A
What did Ronda Rousey say about Kayla Harrison?
Ronda Rousey criticized Kayla Harrison for her inability to keep the 145 division alive and questioned her charisma and earnings.
Why did Ronda Rousey criticize Kayla Harrison?
Rousey criticized Harrison to reignite the debate about her relevance in women's MMA during a press conference for her Netflix fight.
What event was Ronda Rousey promoting when she made her comments?
Ronda Rousey made her comments while promoting her upcoming Netflix bout with Gina Carano.
