Record Strikeforce ratings help Dana White 'warm up' to the idea of women's MMA

Breaking arms and breaking records.

Just another day at the office for Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey, who successfully defended her 135-pound strap against former division titleholder Sarah Kaufman at the "Rousey vs. Kaufman" event last Saturday night (Aug. 18, 2012) on Showtime.

"She's unbelievable," according to Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White.

So too, are the ratings for Strikeforce on the Showtime network, thanks to the appeal of Rousey, who helped the cable television network average 529,000 viewers for its Saturday night broadcast, according to Sherdog.com, which emanated from the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California.

The "Rowdy" one has also managed to generate mainstream interest for her exploits outside the Hexagon.

It should come as no surprise then, to hear White on a recent fan Q&A admit he's "warming up" to the idea of women's mixed martial arts (MMA).

That could also explain why he's been prancing around in this T-shirt.

White even went so far as to say he could envision a Ronda Rousey vs. Cris Cyborg fight as a future main or co-main event in the UFC, according to comments he made on the Dave and Mahoney radio show on Las Vegas' KXTE X107.5 FM. Unfortunately, that fight could never take place inside the Octagon, as both combatants are contracted to Strikeforce for the foreseeable future.

But there are plenty more where they came from.

Women's MMA, while prevalent overseas in Japan and Australia, is limited to mostly regional promotions in the United States, with the occasional superfight televised under the Strikeforce banner when one or more of its top stars, like Rousey, are available.

But the recent success of Invicta Fighting Championship could help tip the scales once and for all.

Stay tuned.