"I was having a hard enough time" - When Dana White had to explain to Ronda Rousey his infamous "never" to women potentially fighting in the UFC

In 2011, Dana White's blunt "never" comment in response to the question of women fighting in the UFC became a notorious moment. However, a conversation with future superstar Ronda Rousey would change his stance forever.

Back in 2011, women's MMA was gaining traction elsewhere, with promotions like Strikeforce featuring fighters like Gina Carano and Rousey herself. Yet, White, then struggling for mainstream acceptance of men's MMA, dismissed the idea.

Years later, on Rousey's show on ESPN+, 'Rowdy's Places,' White admitted the timing wasn't right. He explained to Rousey:

“Everything in life is about timing, When I was saying we’ll never have women in the UFC, I was having a hard enough time getting men fighting in a cage accepted let alone women. You approached me, and we had like a 45-minute conversation, and halfway through it I started going, 'Oh my God, I think I’m gonna do this. And she’s definitely the one to do this with.'”[H/t: MMA Junkie]

Rousey's talent and potential as a star became clear to White. The UFC would eventually acquire Strikeforce and its fighters, paving the way for Rousey's historic UFC debut in 2013 alongside Liz Carmouche.

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When Dana White lauded Ronda Rousey for her dedication

Back in 2014, Ronda Rousey was at the peak of her career. She had just become the first mixed martial artist to win an ESPY award for Best Female Athlete. However, instead of attending the ceremony, Rousey opted to undergo surgery on a broken hand and knee to expedite her recovery. This dedication drew praise from UFC president Dana White.

Appearing in a pre-fight media scrum, back in Dublin for UFC Fight Night 46, White said:

“She’s fascinating. She’s the greatest athlete I’ve ever worked with on every level… Everybody talks about how I’m always Ronda this and Ronda that. It’s hard not to be Ronda this and Ronda that when you deal with her.Look at the attention she gets… The girl never stops. She’s got to promote all of her movies and do all of that stuff. It’s unbelievable."

He further added:

“ How about this, she got an ESPY. She opted to get her surgeries instead, to get them done and healed faster instead of doing the whole ESPY thing” [H/t: Yahoo! Sports]

Check out Dana White's interview below: