Ronda Rousey dedicates fight with Bethe Correia to late ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper
Wrestler “Rowdy” Roddy Piper gestures to the crowd after being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. Piper died Friday. He was 61.
UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey will pay her respects to wrestling legend "Rowdy" Roddy Piper in the octagon Saturday night at UFC 190.
Rousey dedicated her fight to the late wrestler, whose real name is Roderick George Toombs, on her Instagram account Friday following news of the 61-year-old's death in Los Angeles.
Rousey actually took on the nickname "Rowdy" before her first amateur fight, but only after seeking Piper's permission.
"I went to him, and I was like, 'Mr. Piper, I'm about to have an amateur fight. Can I use your name?' And he's like, 'Sure kid,' " Rousey related during an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" last year.
Rousey (11-0) of Venice will fight Brazilian Bethe Correia (9-0) in the main event at UFC 190 in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday.
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Follow Matt Wilhalme on Twitter @mattwilhalme
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