When Bethe Correia signed the dotted lines to make Ronda Rousey her next opponent, not only was she the automatic underdog but she was the automatic “bad guy” as well. No matter where she went, the fans were not very receptive of Correia and it wasn’t for a lack of skill or appreciation of skill; Correia had brutalized every opponent leading into her championship opportunity. Rousey was simply untouchable then. It didn’t matter if she was in the octagon or on the movie screen; Wherever Rousey went, she was the most popular person in the room.
The moment Correia stepped into her first press event leading up to the fight in Brazil, she was met with a chorus of boos from her fellow Brazilian while Rousey received a massive ovation. Correia spoke with Combate (via. Bloody Elbow) about what it felt like to get booed:
“I can’t even tell what it is like, because when I fought in Brazil, I had the crowd against me. I don’t remember having the crowd on my side. When I fight in the USA, I get a lot of sympathy from the fans from Americans, but this is different. This has a special taste, fighting in the Northeast. Being home, with my family, I won’t have to travel or deal with a different weather.”
“I love Fortaleza, I used to go there a lot for fun. I always pictured myself fighting in the Northeast. I love it, it’s going to be great. I believe this time will be cool, I really want to listen to that crowd and receive their energy.”
