Ronda Rousey Signs On To Fan Requests As Fight Week Begins
MELBOURNE, Australia
Fan requests for Ronda Rousey began pouring in Tuesday afternoon in Melbourne in advance of UFC 193, and the women’s bantamweight champion had fun with some of the more interesting questions posed via social media.
An early Fight Week arrival ritual features each athlete autographing event posters in the UFC’s media offices.
Rousey dutifully joined other fighters at the autograph table, Sharpie pen in hand, and answered live social media questions via a 17 minute, 14-second Periscope broadcast. Nearly 2,000 fans from across the world joined the Periscope broadcast.
As she signed poster after poster, a fan asked the left-handed Rousey if she had ever tried to sign something with her right hand.
“Signing with my right hand? Want me to try?” she asked, laughing. “I apologize for whoever gets this poster.”
Rousey might have lighting hand speed in the Octagon, but as a right-hander, her penmanship leaves much to be desired.
“Oh my God, that’s so bad!” she said with a flourish of the Sharpie and a grin as she finished her awkward right-handed signature. “There you go. It’s been tried. It’s been done.”
Brazilian fans asked if she could send a message to their country.
“Hi Brazil! Thanks, you guys, for watching,” Rousey said. “Man, I’m still excited about fighting in Brazil. It was one of my favorite experiences ever, in judo and in MMA. I miss you guys, and I’m looking forward to any opportunity to come back, for sure.
Outside, the warm 90-degree temperatures and sun in Melbourne on Monday had turned to cooler temps in the upper 50s with light rain on Tuesday.
“It’s a little chilly today, so I’m really missing Brazil right now!” Rousey said.
Nancy Gay is the Editor-in-Chief of UFC.com Follow her on Twitter at @NancyGay
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