It?s not out of the question for a high-profile athlete to make demands when it comes to how his/her career is handled. However, typically said individual is considered to be at the top of his/her profession to provide some leverage in the negotiating process.
In the case of MMA?s Cristiane Santos, though ?Cyborg? is a former champion and an elite talent, she?s also serving a yearlong suspension for steroid use and has only fought a single time since June 2010. As such, bantamweight star Ronda Rousey is baffled by the Brazilian?s attempts to convince her to move up to 145 pounds rather than remain at 135 where she?s been dominant.
?I just don?t understand where her sense of entitlement is coming from. She hasn?t fought in like two years ? and won a fight that?s really counted,? explained Rousey in an interview with MMA Uncensored. ?If this happened to a man ? think about this ? if this was the men?s division, and it was someone who hadn?t recorded a win in two years, then had their title stripped from them because they were caught cheating, would you expect them to come back from their suspension and be like, ?I want the biggest title fight out there, the exact fight and all the considerations that I want. And if it?s not given to me, it?s because they?re running from me????
?I don?t see where she thinks she deserves to get every single thing that she wants when she?s pretty much been exposed as a fraud,? finished the unbeaten Rousey.
“Rowdy Ronda” Thinks Her Request is Reasonable
Rousey also stated she felt Santos had no legitimate options at featherweight and could only redeem herself as a fighter by slimming down to fight at bantamweight where the bulk of female talent seems to be at. Otherwise, in the opinion of Rousey, ?Cyborg? should simply call it a career and retire.
PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE
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