She’s famous for being one of the most dominant athletes in the world with few of her fights lasting past the first round, but Ronda Rousey finally came face-to-face with someone she believes could go the distance in the cage with her… or at least last more than 45 seconds!
Or maybe not quite face-to-face. UFC star Rousey posed for a picture with Shaquille O’Neal, and the size difference was pretty stark between the 5ft6 fighter and the 7ft1 NBA legend.
The duo, who were backstage on the US chat show ‘Live! with Kelly and Michael’, do have a bit of history.
Ronda Rousey and Shaquille O’Neal meet up backstage at US chat show ‘Live! with Kelly and Michael’
Shaq with Buffy The Vampire Slayer star Sarah Michelle Gellar (left) and ‘Live! with Kelly and Michael’ presenters Kelly Ripa (right) and Michael Strahan
Rousey posing with a fan for a photograph during a fan event in Sydney ahead of her UFC 193 bout
Rousey won her last fight against Bethe Correia in Brazil in just 34 seconds in August
Back in June, after Rousey had comfortably dispatched her latest two UFC challengers in a combined time of 30 seconds, Shaq joked that he could last 45 seconds in a cage with her.
But the confident Rousey, who rarely doubts her ability to see off anyone in a fight, did admit that the NBA legend was probably right.
She said: ‘Yeah, you know, if a chick could last past 45 seconds, I don’t see why Shaq couldn’t.’
Rousey has a 12-0 record since making her Mixed martial arts debut in 2011, and only one of her fights has lasted past the first round.
In fact, her last three bouts have taken just 34, 14 and 16 seconds, with Sara McMann in February 2014 the most recent opponent to take her past the one-minute mark.
Basketball legend O’Neal claimed he would last at least 45 seconds in a UFC cage with Rousey
Rousey is currently in training ahead of her bout in November in Australia with Holly Holm
Rousey posing with her title belt at a UFC event in the MGM Grand in Las Vegas last month
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A post shared by Ronda Rousey (@rondarousey)
Next up, Rousey will face Holly Holm in the latest defence of her Women’s Bantamweight title in Australia in November.
A record crowd of up to 70,000 is expected for the November 15 fight at Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium.
Ahead of the bout, Rousey became the first woman in history to make the cover of Australian Men’s Fitness magazine.
She wrote on Instagram: ‘Thank you @mensfitnessau for making me the first woman on your cover!!’
