Ronda Rousey’s long-awaited return to the spotlight has already produced fireworks — and she hasn’t even stepped into the cage yet.
The former UFC bantamweight champion made headlines during a press conference promoting her comeback fight against Gina Carano on May 16, launching into a passionate rant about fighter pay that quickly spiralled into a very public clash with current UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko.
During the media event for the Most Valuable Promotions clash, Rousey delivered a scathing critique of how fighters are compensated in the modern era of the promotion, claiming the UFC is no longer the best place for athletes to earn a living in combat sports.
“It used to be that the UFC was the best place that you could come in combat sports to make a living and be paid fairly. Now, it’s one of the worst places to go,” she said.
Rousey argued that many fighters — including champions — are now forced to find alternative ways to make money outside the octagon. “It’s why so many of their top athletes are going to find pay elsewhere,” she said. “It’s why their champions, like Valentina, are selling pictures of their t–ties on OnlyF*ns.”
The remark instantly caught attention across the MMA world, particularly because Shevchenko does indeed have an account on the platform.
However, the context behind it is quite different from the implication Rousey appeared to make.
Shevchenko joined OnlyFans in December 2024, but her content does not involve explicit material. Instead, the Kyrgyzstan-born fighter uses the platform to share exclusive photos, videos and content related to her interests and lifestyle with fans.
And it didn’t take long for the UFC champion to respond.
Taking to social media, Shevchenko delivered a cutting reply that quickly spread across MMA circles. “It’s 2026. Fighters using OnlyFans is just a new way to connect with fans,” Shevchenko wrote on X. “Looks like Ronda slept too long after her last fight in 2016.”
The comeback was widely seen as a reference to Rousey’s final appearance in the UFC, when she suffered a devastating defeat to Amanda Nunes.
That fight ended in just 48 seconds and marked the end of Rousey’s MMA career at the time, before she moved into professional wrestling and other ventures outside the sport.
Shevchenko’s response also highlighted the rapidly changing landscape of athlete branding and fan engagement in combat sports.
In recent years, fighters across multiple organisations have increasingly used platforms like OnlyF*ns, Patreon and subscription services to offer exclusive behind-the-scenes content, training insights and personal updates. And yes, some do create more adult content for their fans.
For some athletes, it has become an important additional income stream — something Rousey herself was referencing when discussing fighter compensation.
During the press conference, the former champion suggested that the current financial structure of the sport leaves many fighters struggling despite the UFC’s huge commercial success.
Her comments came amid ongoing discussions about fighter pay following the promotion’s massive $7.7 billion Paramount partnership.
“This company just got $7.7 billion,” Rousey continued. “There’s no reason that they can’t afford to pay their athletes at least a living wage. And not even that, to at least be able to match what these athletes are making in other sports.
“Why would they expect to get the best athletes and these best aspiring kids that want to be something into MMA. Why not go into football? Why not go into boxing? Why not go into anything else? And so they’re bleeding talent because of their short-term greed. They’re thinking about the next quarter. They’re thinking about the shareholders.
“They’re not thinking about their responsibility to be stewards of the future of the sport.”
With Rousey preparing for her highly anticipated return to combat sports against Carano later this year, it’s clear that the outspoken former champion is still as fierce on the mic as always.
For now, though, it was Shevchenko who landed the cleanest shot — and she didn’t even need to step into the cage to do it.
Featured image credit: YouTube/MVP (screenshot)
