Former UFC champion Ronda Rousey has revealed that neurological issues, specifically migraine-triggered vision loss and cognitive impairment, significantly contributed to her loss against Amanda Nunes in her final UFC bout.
In a candid interview on the “Untapped” podcast, Rousey disclosed that she had been battling escalating neurological problems that severely compromised her abilities during the latter part of her UFC career.
“I would get hit and I’d basically lose big chunks of my vision and my depth perception and my ability to track movements quickly and make snap decisions, which is basically all the things that I need,” Rousey explained.
The former champion detailed how what she initially believed were concussion symptoms was actually a complex neurological condition. According to Rousey, UFC president Dana White arranged for her to participate in a long-term neurological study for mixed martial artists, which recently provided clarity about her condition.
“Dana sent me to this long-term fighters neurological study,” she said. “It would be things like I would lose big chunks of my vision to the point where I would get a jab and I would basically go blind.”
Dr. Bernick at the Cleveland Clinic, who evaluated Rousey, determined that her family history of epilepsy likely contributed to her susceptibility to migraine-related vision disruptions. These episodes, known as migraine auras, were increasingly triggered by even minor impacts in training and bouts.
“People that get migraines are actually more susceptible to concussions. And the more concussions that you get, the easier it is for these impacts to set off a migraine,” Rousey said, explaining the feedback loop that progressively worsened her condition.
By the time of her bout with Nunes, Rousey’s condition had deteriorated significantly.
“It was progressively getting worse to the point where lighter and lighter hits were causing it,” she revealed. “If I was getting hit at all, I was basically losing my vision and ability to think.”
Rousey admitted that she felt obligated to continue MMA career despite these challenges.
“I think there’s a lot of denial going on at the time,” she said. “I also felt very obligated. I think those last two I felt like I was there for everybody else.”
The neurological diagnosis has given Rousey new hope that her condition might be treatable. She plans to consult with migraine specialists and neurologists who might be able to help address these issues, rather than accepting them as an inevitable decline.
Rousey explained that she didn’t disclose these problems at the time of her retirement because she feared being accused of making excuses for her losses. Now with medical validation of her condition, she feels more comfortable sharing the challenges she faced in the octagon.
