Ronda Rousey, UFC champion, is once again fighting with UFC Octagon girl Arianny Celeste, after she said fighters should get paid more than the models.

Ronda Rousey vs. Arianny Celeste

While Rousey and Celeste have a history of spats, things between the two had been relatively peaceful until last week, when Rousey criticized how the UFC pays their talent, saying, “I think that they [fighters] should get paid more than the ring girls.” Rousey added that fighters should be compensated more because “there’s definitely a lot more in what the fighters do than what they do.”

Rousey went on to say that she didn’t mean that she felt under-paid by the UFC organization. Whether or not it’s true that fighters are paid more than Octagon girls is unclear, but many saw the statements less as a dig to UFC and more as an attack on Celeste, a rival of Rousey’s since 2012.

Arianny Celeste Calls Ronda Rousey “A Big Bully”

When asked about Rousey’s comments sometime this week, Celeste called the fighter a bully, saying, “I’m not going to talk about her because I’m not a fighter. I’m not going to waste my time. I actually don’t talk about anyone. It blows my mind that someone who doesn’t even know me continuously picks on me. And that’s all I see her as: a big bully.”

On Wednesday, during a media day for Rousey’s upcoming fight against Cat Zingano, Rousey fired back, standing by her previous statements that fighters should be paid more than ring girls.

“I’m sorry, but she [Celeste] wouldn’t have a job if it wasn’t for the fighters. She wouldn’t. Do you think her walking in circles around the two guys or two girls out there like, fighting for their lives is worth more? You think she works harder than they do? I didn’t say that she needed a pay cut. I said either the ring card girls are paid too much or the fighters aren’t paid enough,” Rousey said.

Rousey insisted that her statements were not meant as a personal attack on Celeste, and offered her a scripted response: “You know what would have been the best thing for her to say? ‘Oh my god! You know? These fighters work so hard. And I wouldn’t have a job if it wasn’t for them and I just admire them so much. Yeah, I definitely think that they should get paid more than anybody in the arena tonight.’ There you go, a PR lesson for her.”

Celeste later responded on Twitter, seemingly wanting to put the issue to rest while also having the last word. “Last I checked, I’m not a fighter and never will be. Although, I have nothing but respect for our athletes. They are the best in the world. So please, have some class like the one of the best fighters in the world should have. Focus on your fight, not me,” Celeste wrote.

Article by Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Olivia Truffaut-Wong was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where she developed her love of all things entertainment. After moving to New York City to earn her degree in Film Studies, she stayed on the East Coast to follow her passion and become an entertainment writer. She lives on a diet of television, movies and food.