Even if people are only ever interested in discussing Ronda Rousey’s defeats, her influence on mixed martial arts is indisputable.
MMA icon Ronda Rousey stormed the MMA scene when she debuted under the Strikeforce banner, frequently finishing her opponents in under two minutes. After seeing Rousey’s incredible rise to fame, UFC CEO Dana White withdrew his earlier statement that women would never compete inside the Octagon and quickly signed Rousey. She ended up becoming the first female bantamweight world champion.
Rousey made an indelible mark on the landscape of mixed martial arts, captivating audiences with her unparalleled talent and tenacity. Despite the overshadowing discourse surrounding her defeats, Rousey’s legacy in MMA remains unmatched.
Rousey eliminated her first six opponents in the UFC via finish. Only Miesha Tate managed to get beyond the first round.
However, her fall happened just as quickly as her ascension. At UFC 193, Rousey suffered her first career defeat at the hands of Holly Holm, who brutally knocked her out in the second round. Even now, many people see it as the greatest upset in UFC history.
Rousey recently disclosed that a string of concussions she had sustained over the years was the reason for her retirement. In a recent interview with Steven Bartlett on The Diary of a CEO podcast, Rousey disclosed that she was effectively “running on fumes” and didn’t have much left to offer during the Holm bout.
She said: “If I was at my full capacity, I don’t think anyone could ever beat me, but I was spent. I was running on fumes for so long that I didn’t have any left and the moment I ran out of fumes was broadcast live to millions of people everywhere who had their own assumptions about it and none of them were right.”
“And I felt like I couldn’t speak up or say anything. Whoever I tried to talk to, they didn’t care about helping me try to communicate. They just wanted to get as many clicks so I couldn’t trust anyone.”
Rousey said in a 2015 interview with Ellen DeGeneres that she began having s**cidal thoughts as soon as the match finished because of her “depressing and soul-crushing” defeat to Holly Holm.
She stated: “It was basically instantly when I came backstage. Suicide is the kind of thing that becomes more prevalent if it’s in your family and I’ve literally had two generations of suicide ahead of me. It’s just something that is always an option in your mind once it’s shown to you.”
After a year at UFC 207, Ronda Rousey made her way back to the Octagon to face Amanda Nunes. Less than a minute into the match, Rousey was knocked out.
Fans would never again see her participate in mixed martial arts again.
Rousey stated: “It still stings a little bit that I’m not recognized as the greatest ever when I know I am, but my mom always said that she never cared if everyone knew she was the best in the world. She only cared if she knew.”
While her legacy may be subject to scrutiny, Rousey’s impact on the world of MMA remains undeniable. He name has forever been etched in the annals of sports history.