It looks like EA Sports' famed 'Madden Curse' may have made its way to mixed martial arts. Last Friday, the video game publisher revealed that MMA superstar Ronda Rousey would be the cover star for their upcoming title UFC 2.
A day later, the then undefeated fighter would find herself on the receiving end of her first career defeat. Rousey was soundly beaten by challenger Holly Holm during their main event showdown for the women's bantamweight title at UFC 193. Holm, a former boxing world champion, displayed the full range of her striking ability - keeping Rousey at bay with her deadly repertoire of precise punches before knocking her out in the second round with a devastating left kick to the head.
In the wake of Rousey's shock defeat, many gamers and sports fans have pinned the blame on the 'Madden Curse' - a long running myth within the gaming community.
The crux of the curse is simple, any athlete who appears on the cover of EA's famed American Football game can expect to suffer a disappointing season the year after. All it takes is quick glance at Wikipedia to see the curse's long and consistent track record.
Regardless of what you may think of the whole incident, don't expect EA to double back on their decision thanks to last Saturday's events.
"All of us @EA understand, celebrate and embrace the unpredictability of sports. That's why as fans we all watch and play...#itsinthegame," said EA COO Peter Moore in a tweet this morning.
Rousey has vowed to avenge her defeat, posting this message on her Instagram account after the loss.
"I just want to thank everyone for the love and support. I appreciate the concerns about my health, but I'm fine. As I had mentioned before, I'm going to take a little bit of time, but I'll be back."
