UFC BOSS REFUTES SARA MCMANN'S CLAIM SHE DIDN'T TURN DOWN RONDA ROUSEY FIGHT
BY MMAJUNKIE.COM STAFF ON DEC 17, 2012 AT 12:15 PM ET

This past weekend, representatives for Sara McMann (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) refuted UFC President Dana White's recent claim that the Olympian turned down a potential title fight with newly named UFC women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC).

White, though, is sticking by his claim, he said this past weekend.

This past week, McMann's rep, longtime manager Monte Cox, told MMAjunkie.com they were never offered the fight against Rousey, who now fights Liz Carmouche (7-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) in the headline of February's UFC 157 event in Anaheim, Calif.

"Our contract says she is still with Strikeforce," Cox stated. "We never got that phone call. So, I don't know where this is all coming from."

Cox went on to state that the clash between Olympians and top-ranked undefeated female fighters should come only after a suitable promotional push. And though he said he was never offered the fight, Cox said it'd make more sense for McMann to get another few wins under her belt to build interest in the Rousey fight.

White, though, suggested the fighter's camp did, in fact, tell the UFC that. Regardless, he said McMann will still have a spot in the UFC's upstart 135-pound women's division.

"She's definitely one of the girls that will be in it," White said on Saturday. "But – and she said she didn't say it, but she said it – she wants a fight or two before she fights Ronda Rousey. Nothing to be embarrassed about. Ronda Rousey's nasty. You want a couple fights before you fight her? That's no big deal. But don't walk around talking s--- that you didn't say it when you did say it."

In addition to McMann, White also initially mentioned Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos and Miesha Tate as fighters who turned down the Rousey fight. However, Santos' manager, former UFC fighter Tito Ortiz, denied that he ever consulted the Brazilian to turn down the fight, and Tate took to Twitter to state she was never offered the bout.

McMann most recently fought in July, where she outpointed Shayna Baszler at Invicta FC 2. In September she was scheduled to fight Carmouche at an ill-fated Strikeforce event before dropping off the Nov. 3 card due to injury.