UFC Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey has recently been opening up about her life’s trials and triumphs, shedding light on her incredible MMA career, the health problem that ended it, and her time working for the WWE.
‘Rowdy’ maintained her composure throughout her book tour. But in December 2016 while talking about her partner’s unconditional devotion in the wake of a career-ending loss to Amanda Nunes, she started crying.
During a moment on Steven Bartlett’s  podcast, Rousey stated: “I literally had nothing left in me, I could barely get out of bed. You could call it depression, but I didn’t see anyone and get diagnosed.”
“[Travis] was amazing. He really helped drag me out of my own hole. I think he understood to an extent… He was incredibly naturally talented, but he hadn’t been pursuing a goal of athletic greatness since he was six like I had.”
Admitting to her vulnerabilities, Rousey confessed to feeling drained and desolate post-defeat. She also talked about Browne’s instrumental role in pulling her back from the brink.
“I don’t think a lot of people understand that, but he was also still so supportive and there for me, he never got fed up with me. Just being like that for over a year and having his incredible love and patience. He was just there for me all the time and would just hold me when I needed it, even if he didn’t understand why I was so sad.”
“He’s the best thing that ever happened to me. I love him so much.”
Growing up, Rousey practiced judo. By the time she was 17, she was skilled enough to get a spot in the 2004 Olympics, but she left the Athens games empty-handed.
Four years later, Rousey won bronze in judo at the 2008 Olympics and became the first American woman to earn a medal in the sport.
After making the switch to mixed martial arts, the 37-year-old became a famous UFC champion and won 12 bouts until her career ended with consecutive knockout defeats.
Despite her remarkable achievements, Rousey grappled with unfulfilled dreams. She was unable to get an Olympic gold medal and couldn’t retire from mixed martial arts with a flawless record.
Wiping the tears from her eyes and laughing off the emotional outburst, Rousey stated: “I knew you was gonna get me at some point, told you I’m emotional.”
The MMA icon is a parent to a single kid with Browne. She broke down in tears once again while talking about her infertility problems, which have included two miscarriages and an ongoing IVF process.
Wiping tears from her eyes once again, Rousey added: “I just got news yesterday that our first [IVF] cycle didn’t work. It’s tough. Anyone going through it is tough and people don’t talk about it.”
“It’s hard because you have so much hope every time. I don’t know, I’ll have to wait until the end of this book tour to try again. I was really hoping to be pregnant today. Hopefully, we’ll be able to have a couple more kids.”