UFC ring girl Arianny Celeste called bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey "a big bully" on Wednesday, and Rousey hit back later that day.
"What did I say . . . ? That the fighters should get paid more than the ring girls? How does that make me a bully? That makes me f***ing right,"
Rousey told MMA Junkie.
The spat between the two women began last week at a promotional event, where Rousey said she believes it's unfair that some of the ring girls get paid more than some of the fighters.
The Washington Post pointed out that Rousey did not mention Celeste or any other ring girl by name, and that UFC lightweight Nate Diaz expressed a similar opinion last year.
This week, Celeste was asked by MMA Junkie what she thought of Rousey's comments.
"I’m not going to talk about her because I’m not a fighter. I’m not going to waste my time. I actually don’t talk about anyone. It blows my mind that someone who doesn’t even know me continuously picks on me. And that’s all I see her as: a big bully," she said.
That's when Rousey went on a post-workout tirade, saying her comments weren't bullying anybody.
"I’m sorry, but she wouldn’t have a job if it wasn’t for the fighters," said the champ. "She wouldn’t. Do you think her walking in circles around the two guys or two girls out there like, fighting for their lives is worth more? You think she works harder than they do? I didn’t say that she needed a pay cut. I said either the ring card girls are paid too much or the fighters aren’t paid enough."
She went even further, saying that she admired some of the ring girls, but still stood by her position on pay.
"I’ve got a lot of respect for Brittney Palmer," she said. "She went and became a ring card girl to pay her way through art school and become a renowned artist. And, her being a ring card girl helped promote her art."
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