UFC women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey may never be a "do nothing bitch" but the mixed martial arts superstar has been known to gain a pound or two above the 135-pound limit when not in competition.
But while some girls might be nervous about their weight, Rousey's not letting what other people think become a factor in her body image.
To make her point, Rousey told the New York Times during a very in-depth feature interview that once she even gained weight on purpose for a TV commercial.
After somebody had unwisely decided to offer their opinion on her appearance, the "Rowdy" one says she came into the shoot heavier than originally planned. And nobody said a thing:
"Oh, hell no," Ms. Rousey said with a grin, "and the campaign ended up being amazing, even though I was heavier just to make a point." (For which company was the ad? She declined to say but noted, coyly, that her breasts are bigger in it than in any other commercial she's done. A breakfast sandwich takes second billing to cleavage in her Carl's Jr. ad.)
"I swear to God," she said, shaking her head, "if anyone calls me fat one more time in my life, I'm going to kill them."
At one time, up-and-coming Hollywood personalities did not say such things. But Ms. Rousey, 28, a tight coil of muscle and moxie, is helping slake the entertainment industry's sudden thirst for female feistiness. The first American woman to win an Olympic medal (bronze) in judo, she turned to mixed martial arts in need of a new challenge, and a reason to give up the drinking, smoking and pill-popping that seduced her after her success in Beijing in 2008.
Rousey also explained that this attitude helps her play the "role" to which UFC fans are now accustomed, one which has involved several feuds with rivals in her weight class.
"When I came along in MMA everybody was trying to be Miss America and they were so afraid to be criticized that nobody really wanted to play that bad guy role and I'm happy to do it."
Well, as this Sports Illustrated photo shoot demonstrates, Rousey is certainly capable of playing Miss America whenever she feels like. And possibly Miss Marvel as well.
The champion will be back in her "bad guy role" about five weeks from now when she takes on Holly Holm at UFC 193 in Australia.