UFC 157 Media Call: Former US Olympians Dan Henderson and Ronda Rousey Weigh in on Shocking IOC Decision
By Chris Leslie on February 13, 2013
Following the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) surprising decision to cut wrestling from the Olympics following the 2016 games there has been a large outcry from the MMA and wrestling communities. US Olympic bronze medalist judoka - and UFC women’s bantamweight champion – Ronda Rousey and former US Olympic wrestler Dan Henderson weighed in on the matter at the UFC 157 media call.
Said Hendo:
“It’s kind of sad that that happened, it’s the sport that has been there the longest since the ancient Greeks,” Henderson said. “I think I’ve been hearing that being termed as a possibility for at least 20 years now, so hopefully, it doesn’t stay that way, but, it’s just unfortunate.”
Henderson would also try to rationalize the IOC’s decision:
“I guess it’s not as exciting as other sports and doesn’t get as much TV coverage, you know, it is what it is,” Henderson said. “It’s not as exciting as MMA, but I enjoy it and I think it’s a great sport. It’s just sad to see it go.”
Rousey was clearly surprised by the decision, and had no qualms with taking a shot at the sport that will replace wrestling, golf:
“I was really surprised when I heard it this morning,” Rousey said. “The only reason I can think of is that a few countries are overly dominant. Usually, if they’re thinking about taking sports out it’s because there are not enough countries competing or one country is winning too much, I think that’s what happened to softball. I think it’s a shame, this is the oldest sport in all of the Olympics.”
“In the original Olympics they had wrestling in there and I know they’re replacing it with golf,” she said. “If you don’t break a sweat, it’s not a sport, its a skill. There’s certainly skill in golf, but wrestling is one of the most basic sports. It’s one of the root sports in the Olympics and I think they’re destroying part of their history by getting rid of it.”
Wrestling will still have a small chance to be voted back into the games, but the sports Olympic future is, at best, grim.
Latest
GOLF!?! WRESTLING IS BEING REPLACED WITH GOLF!?! I guess I have my answer as to whether the olympics could become any more pathetic.
Ronda is wrong.
Golf did not came instead of wrestling, Golf won the run against Karate few years ago. Wrestling got excluded from the games few years after golf got included in the Olympics for 2016.
I have to agree with Ronda on part that Golf shouldn’t be included in the Olympic games and when it happened I was as upset as all the wrestlers got upset by recent IOC decision.
@vasya officially, that’s what is being reported by multiple media outlets. Golf was voted in awhile ago, but they decided to make it a “core” sport this year, which meant they had to cut one.
@ChrisL
Chris, as far as I know (according to official data on the IOC web site) it’s not the case. I know for sure what happen because I’m fallowing IOC decisions for almost 7 years (I guess you know the reason why)
Here is what happen:
About 8 years ago Baseball and softball were excluded from the games.
~6 years ago they had to introduce new sports to fill up the empty sports. Karate and Squash won these spots, but after IOC had to vote if they going include these two sport as an official sports for the Olympics and nether Karate or Squash got 75% of votes (that time you had to receive 75%).
~ 4 years ago IOC decide to change the rule and decided more than 50% is good to introduce the sport as an official Olympic sport, however decision was made London 2012 would have 2 empty spots.
~2 years ago it was new voting to fill up the 2 empty spots. 7 sports applied to be introduced to Olympics and be official sports for 2016. Two sports got the spot Ragby7 and Golf (they beat Karate at the last second and the very last stage). After IOC picked these 2 sports they voted to include these sports in a games of 2016 and both these sports received more than 50% , this why you would see these sports in 2016.
~Few days ago IOC had to review with sport would no longer be in a Olympics and they decided it’s Wrestling . The rest we all know.
As you see Golf has just a little to do with Wrestling being off, however it has everything to do why Karate wasn’t included to the Olympics. I might be wrong with some dates/numbers when the action took place, I don’t remember exec days, but I know exactly step by step what happen.
@vasya you’re missing what I am trying to say man, she was going off of what was reported. Media outlets have reported that the Olympics added sports and then decided to cut one, the connection is easy to make that “golf over wrestling.” There was never a decision of golf or wrestling, but it is clear the olympics did not need to add two sports if they were going to cut a big one.
Also, golf is an easy target because why in the world should golf be an olympic sport? The best in the world already compete at events nearly year round and an olympic medal, while nice, isn’t the biggest prize in the sport. Including it in the Olympics is a joke and an easy target for people to go after because it is so obviously about the money. That’s what she is saying.
@ChrisL
Sorry, now I got you point, jus want to add one small thing regarding: “is clear the olympics did not need to add two sports if they were going to cut a big one.”
Not to defend IOC decisions, but just to make it clear. When 2 new sports got introduced, IOC and nobody else would know that wrestling would be out. Every 2 or 4 years IOC having meeting and evaluating what sports should stay what should go, sometimes it’s no one to go or more than one to go. They have “big” line of “new” sports that recognized by IOC and waiting they line to be introduced to the Olympic games and I don’t think anything is wrong with this kind of process, but the main issue on what criteria they decide what sport should stay and what should go and her I’m with you and Ronda 100% golf should never had to be included to the Olympics. Too bad this decision was made just few month before “Tiger’s” scandal and he was the main person who promoted this sport to IOC and he was big name and sport has a lot of money and they promise a lot of different things to IOC, this why they got chosen, once again I hate this decision as everybody else and hate to see wrestling gone for now, but I’m sure the war is far from over and you guys might have a good chance in May, the bad things for me if Wrestling back on May, Karate back in line for another 4 year :-( and you can imagine how I feel about it.
The very sport of golf in the personification of unsustainabilty. A few participants taking up acres upon acres of valuable greenspace. And now they make it an Olympic sport. I detest this the same way I detest tennis being in the Games–it just doesn’t belong….
And wrestling gets sacrificed? What the help is wrong with people? Smdh….
Or for that matter friggin ping pong is still an olympic “sport.” But wrestling gets the axe. Its the downfall of civilization as we know it.
*hell
As long as they keep equestrian in the olympics! Otherwise how would 60 year old rich c#%ts win a medal. Sailing is just as stupid and elitist as golf.
Oh and lets not forget synchronized swimming. Underwater ballet is clearly a sport. Oh what the heck lets get a petition going to see if we can get jumping jacks on the list as a recognized olympic “sport.”
i can see one or more of just mentioned ‘sports’ being axed in the future and replaced with poker…. the pay out is what golfers are after…. they dont care about the medal…. and the olympics wont be paying out, they only want golf in to increase veiwer ship…. but really… who watches golf that much to want to watch more of it and during the olympics… its sad this has happened… many a greek are rolling over in there graves
I watch golf more than the average person and I sure the hell don’t need it in the Olympics. Also, I don’t know what Rousey is talking about. If it is hot enough, you will sweat like a pig playing golf.
@Swami:
Remember who you’re talking about. My previous assessment of golf notwithstaning, it is a sport. Rousey shoots her mouth often.