Ronda Rousey Endorses Bernie Sanders For President

Celebrity endorsements are highly sought after by presidential candidates, and Bernie Sanders just got the most popular UFC fighter in his corner. Ronda Rousey endorsed the senator from Vermont on Tuesday. While there were rumors that Rousey would back Donald Trump, the undefeated bantamweight mixed martial artist made it abundantly clear that she wouldn’t be voting for Trump. Rousey told Maxim magazine, “I mean, I wouldn’t vote for him.

“I just really wouldn’t trust the guy with running my country, that’s all. I’m not really going to get into specifics of it, but, I mean, I don’t want a reality TV star to be running my country.”

The endorsement of Bernie Sanders came about due to his stance on taking money from corporations to finance political campaigns. Like many Sanders supporters, Rousey does not believe that corporations should be financing the campaigns of political hopefuls.

“I’m voting for Bernie Sanders, because he doesn’t take any corporate money,” Rousey told Maxim. “I don’t think politicians should be allowed to take money for their campaigns from outside interests.”

Sanders has turned down money from multiple sources most notably from Martin Shkreli, the CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, according to CNN. Shkreli became known as the “most-hated man in America” after he raised the price of a widely used AIDS medication from $13.50 a pill to $750 a pill. Sanders gave the $2,700 donation to a clinic in Washington D.C. instead of returning the funds.

Ronda Rousey isn’t the only celebrity feeling the Bern. Will Ferrel, Susan Sarandon, Mark Ruffulo, and Danny Devito are all endorsing the unconventional candidate.

Bernie Sanders…you're our only hope Obi-Wan Kenobi

— Danny DeVito (@DannyDeVito) August 1, 2015

It isn’t just actors that are feeling the Bern and standing with Rousey in support of the presidential candidate. Singers including Belinda Carlisle, Bonnie Raitt, Chris Shiflett, and Flea are also vocally backing Bernie Sanders.

This isn’t the first time Rousey has picked an unconventional candidate for president. During the 2012 presidential elections, Ronda voted for third-party candidate Roseanne Barr. Rousey told Maxim Magazine, “I was so unimpressed with the whole presidential campaign that I picked whatever third-party I saw, and I saw Roseanne and thought, ‘That’s awesome.'”

While Rousey was endorsing Bernie Sanders as a presidential candidate, on November 6 Monster Energy was endorsing her. The endorsement by Monster Energy just adds to Ronda’s long list of sponsors including Reebok and Metro PCS. Rousey was named one of the top 10 highest-paid female athletes by Forbes. Rousey’s sponsorships along with fight winnings and silver screen income brought her income estimate to $6.5 million.

Rousey is getting ready to face Holly Holm on Saturday, November 14, for UFC 193. Along with the Rousey vs Holm fight, the main card for UFC 193 includes Jedrzejczyk vs. Letourneau, Hunt vs. Silva, Hall vs. Whittaker, and Struve vs. Rosholt. Holm is set to be Rousey’s toughest fight to date. While Holm only has two UFC fights to her name, she is arguably the best female kickboxer in the world. Of course Ronda Rousey is the best of the best in women’s mixed martial arts, and if her past three fights, which she spent a grand total of 64 seconds in the ring for all three, set any kind of precedent, this fight could be very short.

Sanders has not commented on his newest celebrity endorsement. The presidential hopeful is currently preparing for the next Democratic debate scheduled for November 14 at 9 p.m. ET. Rousey will be warming up for her fight in UFC 193. Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm are expected to enter the octagon at 11:45 p.m. ET.

[Photo by Harry How/Getty Images]