Friday night wasn’t a good time for Ronda Rousey.
Rousey was quickly TKO’d in 48 seconds by Amanda Nunes at UFC 207. If the loss wasn’t humiliating enough, an advertisement featuring Rousey for Pantene played while Nunes was celebrating her stunning victory.
Ronda Rousey's new Pantene commercial is playing in the arena while Amanda Nunes celebrates in the Octagon. pic.twitter.com/trX9jz6xWS
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) December 31, 2016
That’s rough.
Rousey became the new face for Pantene earlier this month, appearing in multiple advertisements for the hair care brand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TIQBnCSiik
While there’s nothing wrong with the commercials, her latest loss doesn’t help her brand.
ESPN.com’s Darren Rovell suggested Pantene’s got a tough decision to make going forward with Rousey. As she’s suffered two consecutive losses at the hands of TKO’s, her I-can-beat-anyone image has taken a hit. That’s arguably Rousey’s biggest selling point.
Tough decisions: Pantene, who just signed Rousey to a huge deal. Film makers including Paramount who have rights to her autobiography.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) December 31, 2016
But, I would be shocked if Pantene cut the chord with Rousey this quickly, as she’s still a hugely popular athlete with millions of followers across multiple platforms. Rousey’s also is a rising action star, as she’s appeared in the Expendables 3, Furious 7 and will play the lead in the upcoming Road House remake directed by Nick Cassavetes.
Rousey’s MMA career could be over, but it’d be quite the story if her sponsors started pulling from her. She’s marketable beyond the octagon. But, it definitely must suck to see a recent sponsorship deal ad playing after a tough loss.
