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[Sakara=Excitement]

Ronda Rousey Goes Too Far Using Death To Promote Sarah Kaufman Fight - Bloody Elbow

Ronda Rousey has broken one of the cardinal rules of fight promotion in the lead-up to her fight tomorrow evening with Sarah Kaufman at Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman. In the last few days, Rousey has repeatedly invoked the idea of "killing" her opponent in the cage.

It started at the Q&A with the Strikeforce women's champion when she said "I like Sarah Kaufman, but that has nothing to do with whether or not I'm going to try to kill her on Saturday" which could be taken in the "sporting context" of "man, the Bills killed the Broncos last season!"

But Rousey went even more off the rails at the presser (Via MMA Junkie):

All this begs the question: why is Ronda Rousey getting off light where others before have not?

Before his rematch with Georges St. Pierre, B.J. Penn caused a stir by saying "I'm going to kill you, Georges, and I'm not kidding about that."

But that was nothing compared to what happened when Frank Mir told a radio station "I want to fight Lesnar. I hate who he is as a person. I want to break his neck in the ring. I want him to be the first person that dies due to Octagon-related injuries. That's what's going through my mind."

The Mir comments were far enough over the line that the UFC had him actually issue an apology while Dana White expressed "disappointment" in Frank's behavior.

The fact that these comments also come days after an MMA death in South Carolina. We've seen other deaths in MMA this year as well. Even if Tyrone Mims' death wasn't likely due to injuries sustained in the fight, it's a reminder of the risks involved with any professional fighting contest.

I'm not saying I think Ronda would actually follow through with the idea of trying to choke an opponent until she dies or that she wouldn't stop pounding away after knocking her out. And I'm quite certain she won't be ripping an arm off and throwing it at anyone.

I'm fully aware that these are attempts to hype up the fight. But there is a line that shouldn't be crossed for the sake of promoting a fight, and no one seems to care that Rousey crossed that line when it has been a big story any other time it has happened.

Beyond the fact that death remains a possibility in any fight is the PR nightmare if something happens in the near future. God forbid someone dies in a fight on a big stage, do you think the comments of a women's MMA superstar, recently featured in ESPN The Magazine, one of the faces of the sport of mixed martial arts won't be dragged out into the public square when the safety debate rages.

[captonion]

Mmmmeeeeeeeeeeoooooowwwwwwwwwww

[TN94z]

Wow! Those are pretty bad words

[Unholy Ghost]

just another reason to dislike this chick, i hope Kaufman spoils her night! Once the hype train derails she will go the same route as Carano did.

[MickeyKnox]

Ahem...

*points down*

[NLRepublic]

Before his rematch with Georges St. Pierre, B.J. Penn caused a stir by saying "I'm going to kill you, Georges, and I'm not kidding about that."

haha whenever I read that I always laugh, picturing his nasal like voice saying it, and then picturing him get absolutely humbled for 20 minites before quitting

[Sakara=Excitement]

Originally Posted by NLRepublic

haha whenever I read that I always laugh, picturing his nasal like voice saying it, and then picturing him get absolutely humbled for 20 minites before quitting

[Y2JUBAE]

Not too far. I'm loving Rhonda, she is awesome.

[dbader08]

Rhonda just needs to have a split personality that tells her to shut the fuck up when she's about to say dumb shit like this lol

[Qball1974]

Sticks and stones.