The first EA game carrying the UFC banner, which will launch sometime in spring 2014, will include the newly minted women’s bantamweight division. The massive MMA organization first added females into the mix at UFC 157 in Anaheim, California, where current champion Ronda Rousey was able to submit Liz Carmouche in the first round via armbar. Since that time, the division has become one of the most popular in the company, making this bit of gaming history an easy decision.
A list of all the female fighters to be included hasn’t yet been released, but UFC Women’s Bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and top Bantamweight contender Miesha Tate have been confirmed. The fighters are scheduled for a major title fight at the New Years’ show in Las Vegas, which will act as the conclusion to the pair’s appearance on The Ultimate Fighter reality series. The two fighters, who will take the role of coaches on the show, have a history of bad blood, but there’s much more to the intrigue of female fighting than clashing personalities.
“Since we added the Women’s Bantamweight division earlier this year, the women have impressed everyone,” UFC President Dana White said in a press release. “The fights are always exciting, Ronda Rousey is as talented as any champion in the UFC and her rivalry with Miesha Tate is one of the most intense in UFC history. The female division has become a huge part of the UFC and fans will now be able to experience fighting with them in the game.”
The first footage of the game debuted at this year’s Gamescom, but you can expect to see plenty of slick submissions and nasty KOs before the game’s next-generation launch.
