With Conor McGregor out of earshot, Dana White anoints Ronda Rousey biggest star in UFC

Think Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight champion Conor McGregor, who put the “C” in UFC, is the biggest star in all of mixed martial arts (MMA)?

Think again.

Despite holding the UFC pay-per-view (PPV) record (see it), “Notorious” is still just second banana to former women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, and it’s not even close.

That’s what UFC President Dana White told Hot 97 in New York (via Seven Sport):

"By far. Not even close. By far the biggest star. Ronda Rousey is such a big star. When you go down to Brazil, they don’t care who you are. They want the Brazilian to whup your ass. When Ronda went down there, they cheered for Ronda over the Brazilian. Never seen that before in my life, and will probably never see it again. That’s how big Ronda Rousey is."

Rousey was cheered over hometown product Bethe Correia at UFC 190.

While “Rowdy” has not been seen since her knockout loss to Holly Holm last November, White expects her PPV return to shatter all existing records, especially if she fights this longtime rival.

Just don’t expect him to say that in front of McGregor.

When the media put White on the spot at the recent UFC 205 press conference (watch it), the flustered fight boss refused to answer the exact same question and instead told the reporter to sit down.

He probably didn’t want to be overruled for the second time in one day.