Whether you are a fan of the UFC and MMA or not, doesn’t matter. What Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche did for women and women’s sports was nothing short of triumphant. These 2 athletes gave women a seat at the table of  mixed martial arts. They were the headlining fight for UFC 157 and they did not disappoint. The world of MMA has been dominated by male fighters for a significant period of time. Even the president of the UFC, Dana White was once quoted as saying that women would never fight in the UFC. But, in 2013 they did. These women proved themselves to be great athletes, worked hard and changed his mind.

Again, you don’t have to like MMA or even watch the UFC to understand what a significant event this was. It told millions of other young women out there that are trained athletes, Olympians and belt holders in martial arts, that they too can follow their dreams and fight professionally if they choose to do so. Women are no longer excluded.

I choose to also look at the young women who have no interest in mixed martial arts, but for the 1st time saw women publicly competing in a sport, never done before. It tells them that they too can reach for their dreams, work hard and be whatever they want to be in this lifetime. Rhonda spoke about how Judo helped build her self-esteem when she was young. She also spoke about not having a female MMA role model to look up to so she had to look inward and believe in herself. Her dreams came true that night when she won the fight and retained the title of champion. These 2 women are great role models for young women everywhere. They are disciplined, professional, and focused athletes. In my opinion, there were no losers that night. I saw 2 champions and significant game changers. I hope to see young girls mentioning their names during everyday conversations, putting up posters of these women, and reading inspirational articles about them in teen magazines. I believe they gave a boost of self-esteem to all women who watched the fight that night and will continue to do so. I too am in awe and inspired. Thank you Rhonda and Liz.