Ronda Rousey during a Judo Match (Photo : Reuters)
Floyd Mayweather belittled Ronda Rousey's challenge to a ring match by saying she should call him when she is already earning $300 million for 36 minutes of fight like him. The UFC Women's Welterweight champion may not be in Mayweather's league yet when it comes to income, but she is definitely on her way up.
MMA Junkie reports that Rousey is number 8 on Forbes's list of highest-paid women in sports. According to the list, released on Thursday, Ronda earned $6.5 million in the past 12 months from June 2014 through June 2015.
She made $3 million from fight purses and another $3.5 million from endorsements. Ronda is endorse for Reebok, Metro PCS, Monster headphones, Buffalo David Bitton and Carl's Jr.
Topping the list is tennis ace Maria Sharapova with $29.2 million income, followed by another tennis pro, Serena Williams.
Ronda's income excluded her recent match against Bethe Correia of Brazil whom she defeated in 34 seconds. Her $3 million fight purse was for her bout versus Alexis Davis at UFC 175 and Cat Zingano at UFC 184. She downed the two in 30 second which meant Ronda earned $100,000 per second.
The numbers too are in Ronda's favor in her speculated fight versus Cris "Cyborg" Justino. UFC President Dana White estimates the bout would generate 2.5 million pay-per-view buys which would break UFC records, according to Bleacher Report.
MMA observers believe the exchange of words between Cyborg and Ronda over weight class and other issues are just part of the show to generate more interest in the bout. Including Ronda's winning from her 12th victory against Bethe and possible win over Cyborg, sports experts think in 2016's Forbes list, Ronda would move up several notches.
