Mizuno adds its first UFC Women’s Champion to roster along with fellow female athlete powerhouses
Mizuno, a global speciality sporting goods company has signed Ronda Rousey, the “baddest woman on the planet”, as the newest addition to its roster of athletes in North America. Rousey joins a roster of influential female athletes including, April Ross and Jennie Finch, representing the brand with powerful, inspiring messages of courage, determination and grit.
“Ronda is one of the biggest female athletes of all-time – constantly pushing the envelope and motivating young athletes to strive beyond what they thought was possible. She bestows a work ethic, passion and charisma for sport that is so perfectly in tune to the mission and values of Mizuno at our core,” said Tomohiro Ota, Chief Marketing Officer at Mizuno USA. “Ronda represents the advantage for the brand, in the Training category and beyond. We are proud to have her join us as part of the family.”
Rousey has helped shape a path for women opening doors for female athletes by putting action to words. Taking the sports world by storm, Rousey has been vital in the recent landscape shift of women’s sports making this announcement – on National Girls & Women in Sports Day – even more meaningful.
A long-time fan of Mizuno dating back to her youth, Rousey began wearing its gear during her years of competitive judo training. Today, Rousey fans can see the recognisable RunBird on her gear inside and outside the wrestling ring.
“Mizuno is a brand that I have loved since I was 11-years old. Over the years, I have tried other brands and continually am drawn back by the quality, attention to detail and focus on performance delivered in Mizuno gear. It is beyond any of the other sports brands out there,” commented Rousey.
“It is one of the brands that flies under the radar. It comes across as a brand for elite athletes only – but it has so much to offer to athletes in all points of their athletic journey. I feel honoured to have the opportunity to play an influential role in the next phase of the brand and introduce fellow athletes to what Mizuno has to offer.”
Known for the intensity of her training regime, Rousey’s partnership with the brand will embody her energetic spirit, desire for constant improvement and personal growth that will push Mizuno Training to the next level. Rousey will play an integral role in the development of training related gear, and be a lead voice representing the brand in advertising, communications and publicity activities.
“Ronda is the epitome of female empowerment and is a leading, authentic voice driving change and opportunity for female athletes. In the US market, we are at a precipice to put ourselves out front and be a part of the female athletes’ journey. The perspective Ronda can bring to us as a competitive, high-performance female athlete is instrumental,” said Harper Cornell, Brand Marketing Lead at Mizuno USA.
“It is the right moment and right partner to help us share the deeply rooted expertise of Mizuno dating back more than a century ago.”
