Tito Ortiz: Ronda Rousey is 'awesome,' but 'hasn't proved anything yet'

While Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women's' Bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey has become the promotion's golden girl, earning unflinching support from company president Dana White, as well as the adoration of fight fans across the globe, former Light Heavyweight champion, Tito Ortiz, isn't jumping on "Rowdy" bandwagon just yet.

If ever.

It's not that "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" doesn't' appreciate the undefeated (6-0) female fighter's skills, he just feels the Judoka -- who earned a silver medal at the 2008 Olympic games and then transition to mixed martial arts (MMA), blitzing through all of her opponents via first round armbar -- hasn't proved anything ... yet.

Ortiz explained his position on a recent appearance on "The MMA Hour:"

"I think she is believing the hype a little too much and she hasn't proved anything yet. That's just my opinion. I think Ronda's an awesome fighter. I have nothing against the woman at all. I think she is great for the sport and I am glad she's where the UFC, to, the idea of making a woman's sport a part of the UFC and I'm happy for her for doing that."

Ortiz, a UFC Hall of Fame inductee who recently retired from MMA competition, recently turned his attention to the fighter management side of the business. And at the top of his client roster sits former women's featherweight champion, Cristiane Santos, who most believe poses the single-biggest threat to usurp Rousey's tiara.

However, it's a fight that most likely will not happen anytime soon because "Cyborg" has stated in the past that a drop down to the 135-pound division could be very disastrous to her health.

In fact, after recently declaring that Santos would attempt to drop down to challenge Rousey if weight-cutting guru, Mike Dolce, could "work his magic and do it in a healthy manner," Ortiz revealed it's been challenging trying to get "Cyborg" to attempt the weight cut and he doesn't think she will end up doing it because of the health risks.

In the meantime, Rousey has a chance to validate the "hype" when she takes on Liz Carmouche at the history-making UFC 157 event on Feb. 23, 2013, in Anaheim, California.