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Dan Henderson�s Camp Has Issues with Ronda Rousey Headlining UFC 157

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#1 ·
Dan Henderson’s Camp Has Issues with Ronda Rousey Headlining UFC 157

Dan Henderson’s striking coach, Gus Pugliese, made it abundantly clear that he doesn’t like his fighter playing second fiddle to the UFC 157 headliner, Ronda Rousey.

The Team Quest coach took to Facebook yesterday and aired his grievances about the first UFC women’s champ headlining a card over someone with a resume that he said is second to none.

Here is the post in its entirety:


The light heavyweight match-up between Henderson and Machida will be the February Pay-Per-View’s co-main event. Both fighters have headlined numerous Pay-Per-Views in the past, while Rousey’s largest audience was that of the premium cable channel, Showtime. UFC 157 will be Rousey’s UFC debut, and the first time the company features women inside the octagon.

UFC president Dana White has defended Rousey headlining the card, saying “she’s the real deal” on multiple occasions. She’ll get the opportunity to prove that on Feb. 23 at Anaheim, Calif.’s Honda Center.

Requests for further comment from Pugliese were not answered at the time of this publication.

(UPDATE, 11:21 a.m. PT)

Pugliese responded to GRACIEMAG.com and added that he’s a firm believer in working your way up to earn what you get.

“Where I come from, there’s a pecking order for anything in life,” he said. “I believe in paying dues. In this particular case, ‘Hendo’ and Machida paid their dues a long time ago. For someone new to come in and have a free ride just seems unfair to them and the whole sport they helped build.”
I agree. Though I think they should be more disappointed that Carmouche is headlining the card. I mean as far as I know there are what, 3 women fighters signed to the UFC currently? Rousey, Carmouche, and Tate?

http://www.graciemag.com/2012/12/da...-issues-with-ronda-rousey-headlining-ufc-157/
 
#3 ·
Why was there not such an outrage when Aldo was given the belt? I know he didn't headline right away but still, same thing with Cruz who actually main evented in his first UFC fight, he beat Jorgensen in the WEC and never had to fight in the UFC to win the UFC belt.

The Champs have always headlined when I see people complaining about this being three rounds I just think Dan's people and even some Machida fans who have complained are worried that this is gonna be some close fight and their guy might get wronged by a decision, me on the other hand I ain't even worried, I have all the faith in the world Machida lights him up and wins convincingly.

Dan's got a right hand from hell, I'd suggest he use it before he gasses other wise he'll just make Lyoto's job that much easier.
 
#4 ·
Yeah, the main and only real problem I have with this is that it won't be 5 rounds. Like, come on, you have these 2 legends in there and you won't let them have a chance to have a legendary fight because you want to whore out Rousey who hasn't even fought a single fight in the UFC and is basically been given a jobber for her first match.

I used to bemoan those who compared the UFC to the WWE....
 
#5 ·
I never thought about this. This reminds me of openers for concerts. In this case I actually agree that Hendo and Machida should be the main while Ronda could be the co-main event. That's still a huge jump. If it were Cyborg vs Ronda that may be worthy of a headliner.

The UFC is really pushing for Ronda and MMA in general. They'd better make the best of it. But if she finishes within a minute again I'm not sure it's going to help other than her own career.

Maybe this is a bit of payback from the cancelled fight.
 
#7 ·
And there it is, as much as I dislike hendos fight being 2nd fiddle to a joke fight and a waste of a belt and main event you dont put a champion lowering than main event unless theres another champ on the same card who's in a bigger weight class
 
#11 ·
I'm surprised Henderson's camp is complaining about the fight being 3 rounds rather than 5 rounds. Honestly I thought they would be overjoyed because Henderson's cardio is subpar.

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#12 ·
Who wouldn't want to see the championship fight of a 3 person division. Three!! And afterwards we can all sit around and try to figure out who the winner will fight next. The drama...the suspense!

I realize you can make the argument that you have to start somewhere, and they can't build up the women's div without some exposure, but lets be honest, he has a valid point here. Frankly I'm shocked that Dana is willing to do this without being certain of the future of women's MMA.
 
#13 ·
I love Hendo, but he and his team need to concentrate on getting him through a camp without getting injured, not any of the other bullshit they've been bitching about. Rousey's fighting for the belt, and title fights headline cards. Hendo vs Machida is an awesome fight, but it's not for the belt, Rousey vs Carmouche is. They need to get over it.
 
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#14 ·
Title fights have to main event over non-title fights, that's obvious. My personal gripe is that they put Ronda on this card in the first place; they should have put this on a free card like FX or something like they do with the men's lighter divisions sometimes (FlyW title coming up on FOX next month).
 
#15 ·
Well, as ppl has already said, Ronda has the belt and thus she earns the right to be casted in the main event. I just have to support that.
That being said, I am curious to see if when the time comes, Bruce Buffer will spare the "This is the moment you all have been waiting for..." :thumb02:
 
#16 ·
Bah, championship fights headline, and that's that ... and if you are a UFC fan that likes all out action with no 'feeling out' periods, the women usually deliver that kind of fight far more often than the men (of course this will probably be another 1st minute arm bar anyway, but that's beside the point, as we still have Silva, GSP, and Jones headline cards when they fight 'bums'.)

I doubt that Hendo could last 5 rounds anyway, and if he did it would just be because The Dragon figured he could vastly out point Hendo leaning back and counter-striking ... if any of Hendo's bombs come within two football fields of Machida'a chin he can claim to have had a good fight.
 
#17 ·
I was talking about this with some people this morning. IMO Hendo's camp should be happy this is a 3 rounder and not a 5 rounder. In the 5 round fight vs Shogun he almost lost the fight because of rounds 4 and 5 and I doubt he will have any better cardio this time around. His advantages will clearly be early in the fight. So while I understand them bitching about not getting the headline with their name in the title, it's still a blessing in disguise IMO for Hendo.
 
#32 ·
very good point

i have no problem with ronda main event. imo it makes sense purely because its the first ever female fight, let alone a title fight

but i wouldve liked a 5 rounder in case its 3 rounds of cat and mouse to a decision e.g. lyoto v rampage
 
#18 ·
dam didn't think of that ! I want hendo vs lyoto to be a 5 rounder!!! BOOOOOOOO!1! please have 2 5 round fights!
 
#19 ·
Typical sexist attitude.

As if the first womens title fight in UFC history would not warrant a main event. Hendos crew consider this less significant then then his fight with Machida?

Feck off the lot of you. I cant wait for Machida to pick Hendo apart well before a single round is up.
 
#21 ·
It's not sexist... the division has no depth and is a joke. Dana for ages said he's not going to have a Women's Division because the talent pool is too shallow... then suddenly he meets Ronda and changes his mind? And the Women's Division is suddenly "really legit" and is something to be taken seriously?
 
#24 ·
Of course it has no depth. That's why its a big deal. They have to start somewhere for fecks sake. These first steps are a big f*ucking deal to the ladies. It means the top of the food chain as far as WMMA is concerned is now the UFC. The big dog. If I need to explain to you what a big deal this is, then I'm guess there's no point trying. You calling it a joke shows you to be as sexist as they are.

And yes, Ronda has changed his mind. Maybe its because shes cute... and maybe it's because her grappling skills are some of the best in the UFC, men included.


Every division has to start somewhere. Most women who belong in it are signed to Invicta which is owned by a former UFC employee. Don't you guys think they will fill the division up over time?
At least some of us here can see some sense.
 
#20 ·
it is less significant than Hendo - Machida. Simply because there isn't even a full freaking women's division yet, versus an important fight in - perhaps - the most important division in the UFC.
 
#22 ·
It has to be for the appearance of the card because it would look a bit weird to have a title fight be the co main for a non title fight. I wouldn't be against it other than the fact that as others have pointed out that it is a title for a division that is essentially non existent at this point while Machida/Hendo is a very big fight for the LHW division.


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#26 ·
Women's MMA has grown quite a bit in the last few years and Ronda Rousey vs. Sara McMann is a fight I really wanna see.

In three years it went from Gina Carano to Ronda, Cyborg, Miesha, Liz, Sara, Kaufman, I think it'll continue to grow and it'll stay. I hope so anyway.
 
#30 ·
It's a great fight to headline with, Rousey is a star and Carmouche is a hard working and deserving contender. If UFC want to make a big deal, and show dedication to a Women's BW division then they need the Main Event slot to make it a big deal. If it was buried any further down the card then it would have been a travesty. The UFC need to make a big statement with this fight...Main Event status is how you achieve that.

Hendo needs to worry about Machida....not other peoples fights or where they are on the card.
 
#31 ·
She's the champion of a division (well it's not really a division, you need more than one average-at-best fighter for it to be a division), and that's the way it works, champions get main event status.

I am sure this division *cough, ahem, cough* won't be around this time next year or the year after, but for now it is what it is, champions main event, that's how it rolls and that's how it should be. Honestly, this whole thing is a waste of money until they get more fighters that have names, I literally know 1 person in her whole "division", and that's her, and I'm a huge MMA fan. The mass majority don't even know who she is I'm sure, much less whoever they find to fight her.

Anyways, at the end of the day and the bottom line she's the current champion of that "division", thus she main events, that's how it goes people.
 
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