In an interview with ESPN Radio, Chael Sonnen said he believes Ronda Rousey’s career was created by the media. He feels that the UFC will lose momentum now after her loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193, and that Holm will be victorious again if the two have a rematch.

“Things should become clear — after you see them. I wasn’t good at predicting this one, either. The thing with Ronda is she is created by the media. That was a media sensation,” Sonnen told ESPN Radio. “You did have a lot of fighters coming out and saying, ‘I want a Ronda Rousey technique video because I want to learn those skills.’ She has great skills, but so does everybody else on the roster.”

“I think that when one star goes out, another one is born. I don’t think that Holly Holm — as great as she is physically — I don’t think she’s going to be able to transcend cultures like Ronda did. Ronda was a very unique personality. She’s very likeable, she’s very marketable. She does and says the right things. Holly is just a really kind and sweet person that’s a really good fighter. I think yeah, you are going to lose a little momentum. We had Brock Lesnar. He’s a once-in-a-lifetime attraction, and nobody has sold as well as Brock has. But boy, the company is still worth billions and billions of dollars, even without him.”


The Rousey-Holm rematch will likely take place around the middle of 2016. Rousey is currently taking time off from MMA and will be filming a movie in early 2016.