Abstract
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) broadcasts mixed martial arts (MMA) fights in more than 149 countries to nearly a billion households worldwide. In 2012, the UFC signed its first ever female fighter, ‘Rowdy’ Ronda Rousey. To emphasise how gender is constructed, and the tension surrounding women fighters in the UFC, a controversial media report published after Rousey’s first headlining fight helps to set the stage for this chapter:
Ronda Rousey put hot, steamy meat in her mouth to celebrate her UFC 157 victory over Liz Carmouche. Rousey had apparently been craving tender, juicy meat throughout her training camp, but she wasn’t allowed to indulge because she had to worry about contractual weight requirements. Once the ‘W’ was secured and the fight was over, Rousey was finally able to suck on some delicious bones, as her camp explained that she feasted in her private hotel room following UFC 157.1
(emphasis added)
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© 2015 Charlene Weaving
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Weaving, C. (2015). ‘Chicks Fighting in a Cage’: A Philosophical Critique of Gender Constructions in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In: Channon, A., Matthews, C.R. (eds) Global Perspectives on Women in Combat Sports. Global Culture and Sport Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137439369_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137439369_4
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-56203-9
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-43936-9
eBook Packages: Palgrave Social Sciences CollectionSocial Sciences (R0)