UFC welcomes first female fighter

We talked a lot about empowerment on Thursday and one of the things that was brought up during the conversation about Rihanna's picture was that she "looks like she could kick your ass." This leads to the following question: Is a tough, physical female is a sign of empowerment? There will be different opinions and answers to this question, but a great example of a strong woman as a possible sign of empowerment is Ronda Rousey.

Last week, Rousey became the first female fighter to join the Ultimate Fighting Championship, a mixed martial arts league that has incredible popularity. Rousey, who became the first U.S. woman to win a medal in judo during the 2012 Olympic Games in London, is 25 years old and has previously fought in Strikeforce where she is the reigning women's bantamweight champion, having successfully defended the title in August 2012.

Dana White, president of the UFC, said in 2011 that the organization "would never sign female fighters" but has come around slightly with the signing of Rousey. However, even after the signing of Rousey, White said he's "never been interested in women's MMA. First, there were not enough good girls to create an entire division."

What does Rousey's addition to the UFC mean? Is this an empowering image for women or is it a negative image?