Someone had to ask it some time—the time is running out for UFC 176 but there's still no cherry on the cake to make sure it's gonna sell. But when Joe Rogan threw the question, Ronda Rousey had a noncommittal answer.

After dismantling Alexis Davis within 16 seconds on Saturday night at UFC 175, Rousey was asked if she was willing to fight in the upcoming UFC 176. Her answer: She is scheduled for knee surgery.

On Wednesday, Jose Aldo was injured and withdrew from his main-event fight against Chad Mendes, begging the question of who will "save" the date. Rousey's response is opposite to her very willing answer a week ago. 

Bloody Elbow noted that Rousey had been asked at media day recently and answered: "...If they really needed me to do it, they know I would do it." She would also step up on "24 hours' notice," MMA Mania said.

She needed nine stitches to close up a laceration on her right hand following her fourth title defense, MMA Weekly said. "I kept ripping my knuckle open ... All I did was make sure it didn't get infected. I guess I ended up developing a cyst under my knuckle," she said after the post-event press conference. 

"With the knee surgery, it's just something that's more maintenance that I need to do. So it's not really a major knee surgery at all," she added.

But the Los Angeles Daily News said she simply shut the door on 176 at Staples Center, also cautioning Dana White that nobody else in the event's lineup can replenish the starpower of the original Aldo-Mendes match. 

One other issue at the end of the 175 is the postmatch interview itself. The UFC ringside announcer put the women's Bantamweight champion on the spot, MMA Mania said.

A guy "in the production truck" coursed the question asking "Rowdy" if she would be interested in making a quick turnaround and headline UFC 176—that's when the victor awkwardly explained about her knee injury.

UFC president White, who was behind Rousey when all this was happening, had to apologize. The report said it was impossible to miss White scolding Rogan, saying something like "That was the stupidest f*cking question ..."

USA Today Sports said Rogan put his hand on White's shoulder as if to say, "Hey, relax, man." White responded with a death stare. White once called Rousey his "new Chuck Liddell," willing to fight whenever he asks—although given his reaction, a Rousey fight at 176 might not be part of the plan.

"I was upset with the (broadcast) truck telling him to tell Ronda that she's going to fight again," he said. 

With three weeks left before 176 and certainly less than that before the UFC needs to give a top-bill announcement, the report hangs on to what White has done before. White is no novice at rushing fighters, the report said, noting that he had also resorted to putting athletes on the spot himself.