Rousey becomes first woman to join UFC

Ronda Rousey can officially retire her "I don't know" dance. She can do the same with her Strikeforce belt.

The Strikeforce women's bantamweight champion unveiled the silly dance last weekend as a way to avoid answering questions about whether she would become the first female in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. But UFC president Dana White ended the speculation Friday morning by confirming that Rousey has been signed.

"Yes, it's official. Ronda Rousey did sign with the UFC," White said on Jim Rome's nationally syndicated radio show.

Rousey then took to Twitter to share the news.

"Okay I admit it...I'm officially a (UFC) fighter :) SO excited! Can't wait to debut!," she posted.

TMZ had first reported the story Nov. 8, but Rousey, her management and UFC officials had been hesitant to confirm the validity of the report.

That changed Friday, when White showered praise on the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist in judo who has amassed a 6-0 professional record with six first-round victories by armbar.

"She has the whole package," White said. "This girl, she's nasty. She's a real fighter and real talented. She has the credentials and the pedigree. And she has the 'it' factor. I think she's going to be a big superstar."

White long has said he didn't think there was enough talent to create a women's division in the UFC, but Rousey's superstar appeal changed his mind. He said Friday there are "four or five" good fights lined up for her.

"The next two years we've got actually really good opponents for her, and it's going to be interesting," White said. "We'll see what happens. There is (enough talent) in that division. In the 135-pound division there is. These other women's division, no, there's not."

There was no official confirmation that Rousey, 25, becomes a UFC champion, though that has been assumed to be the case.

No details have been announced regarding the terms of the deal or a potential date or opponent for Rousey's UFC debut. The biggest potential fight would be against Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos, the former Strikeforce 145-pound champion who has been serving a 12-month suspension after testing positive for steroids in December. Santos has said her doctors think it would be unsafe to drop to 135 pounds.

White has yet to confirm the other part of the original TMZ report that Strikeforce's Jan. 12 card in Oklahoma City will be the organization's final one before it folds into the UFC.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.