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14 seconds. This is the time required for 11-time champion of MMA (mixed martial arts, nda) Ronda Rousey to overwhelm the opposing fighter Cat Zingano, confirming once again that she is the undisputed star of the cage. This was enough time to drag the opponent to the ground with her and then trap her in the lethal  grip armbar, forcing Zingaro to surrender. Unstoppable, rapid, perhaps cruel, but definitely an icon.

It is known that mixed martial arts are sometimes gory and bloody. A sport based on the exchange of fists, elbows, knees and kicks, especially when practiced in front of an audience of paying customers or even broadcast on Fox Sports live as in the case of the meeting of Saturday, February 28, can not abound with blood, bruises and even broken bones. But mixed martial arts are not just that.

The event, which got as much as 23% of sharing tv viewership, should have been the “outline” for the “main course”, or the clash between Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort, suspended a few hours of direct due to injury of one of the participants. The highly anticipated match between the undefeated champions bantamweight Rousey-Zingaro is slated to become the warm moment of the evening. For the first time in the history of the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) a female fight keeping viewers glued to their seat or sofa.

In addition to what transpires on the screen, there are hours of training to the furthest extent possible, sacrifice, tears and sweat. Athletes, but especially the athletes of this discipline, are unfortunately underestimated in Italy. But they can become role models for how to face any kind of struggle, from sport to any daily challenge.

And this is precisely the case of Ronda Rousey: undefeated champion born in 1987, American, began his career as a martial artist in 14 years as a judoka, coming to win the bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Subsequently approached them to mixed martial arts, Ronda gets an endless series of victories in the lightweight category, receiving recognitions such as Headline of the Year for Women’s Mixed Martial Arts Awards 2012. The Rousey fights in the current category bantamweight (60-70kg) since last year, undefeated by holding the title of World Champion MMA. Ronda has also posed as a model for ESPN The Magazine’s Body Issue 2012 and Maxim Hot 100 ; thanks to the prestige and fame achieved, she had the opportunity to star in Fast and Furious 7 and Mercenaries 3 . Witty, determined and in step with the times, she has received many tweets irreverent with loads of trash talk .

Get a space in the spotlight and the same honors paid to athletes of MMA was a clash demanding and tiring for the athletes of the same category. The speech should be generalized, since in almost all areas the stronger sex becomes more successful. Yet, the example of the clash UFC Saturday is the demonstration of how change is coming.

And thanks to models such as Ronda, the expression fight like a girl is no longer seen as an insult, but as the highest compliment possible.

 

Images: Ronda Rousey Official Instagram Page