In the distant past of a few months ago, back when the UFC was still scrambling around for a headliner worthy of next weekend’s UFC 300, the ever-helpful public started suggesting names plucked from MMA lore.
One of those names was Ronda Rousey, the promotion’s first female champ, who’d left the UFC after back-to-back losses and then made a new career for herself in the WWE. The suggestion alone had UFC president Dana White shaking his head.
“Ronda’s not coming back,” White said. There was a finality to it that let you know he wasn’t just guessing.
Based on Rousey’s comments in a podcast with YouTuber Valeria Lipovetsky released this week, it seems like White was right. To hear Rousey tell it, she didn’t exactly leave with the fondest feelings about MMA. After her loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 — her second straight loss after starting her pro career 12-0 — she said she quit MMA “cold turkey” in part due to concerns about repeated head trauma, but also because she felt her contributions were going unappreciated.
“When I finally lost and I was just demonized by the whole world, it forced me to completely sever from that and find things that are validating in themselves and in my own world and the people I loved and respected around me,” Rousey said.
She added that she’d returned too soon from her first pro loss against Holly Holm (the two fights were slightly over one year apart), mostly because she felt she “owed it to the fans.” But her brain hadn’t fully recovered and she was “out on [her] feet” as soon as Nunes hit her, Rousey said. Not that anyone seemed to care as they set to work meme-ifying her worst moments from the lopsided loss.
This left Rousey feeling bitter and resentful toward MMA and its fans, she said, so she left the sport forever. It was about as sudden a rise and fall and exit as we’ve ever seen in fight sports.
In the span of just a few years, Rousey went from someone only judo enthusiasts had ever heard of to probably the most impactful female fighter in combat sports history. Then, with the first two losses of her career, it was all over. From start to finish it was just under six years.
What are we supposed to make of that?
Rousey has some ideas. In her telling, both her losses were some combination of bad luck and bad timing. Against Holm, she said, she had a “bad mouthpiece” and a bad weight cut. Against Nunes? She was still reeling from that Holm knockout that resulted from the bad mouthpiece/weight cut.
Zero legitimate losses, in other words. Which, ain’t that always just the way?
“Just from that one fight, everybody felt like, ‘Oh she’s a fraud,’” Rousey said. “And I know that I’m the greatest fighter that has ever lived. But when I got to the point where I just neurologically couldn’t take it anymore, suddenly everything I accomplished meant nothing.”
Two things can be true here. One is that, as someone who won an Olympic bronze medal in judo, followed by the first UFC women’s title, Rousey is entitled to feel like she is or at least was the greatest fighter in the world. Maybe she even needed to believe that in order to get to those levels in the first place, not to mention continue walking into a cage with the necessary confidence.
But the second thing is that, by any sober analysis of the facts, Rousey is not the greatest fighter of all time. To make such a claim is to put yourself up there with Muhammad Ali and Jon Jones and “Sugar” Ray Robinson and Demetrious Johnson and a whole bunch of others, which is a hard claim to make with a 12-2 professional record.
Even if we interpret it as Rousey saying she’s the greatest fighter in the history of women’s MMA, or even just the history of the UFC women’s bantamweight division, it still isn’t true. That honor belongs to Amanda Nunes, who held at least one UFC title (and usually two simultaneously) for seven consecutive years until she retired last summer.
But just because Rousey wasn’t the very best doesn’t mean she didn’t matter a whole lot. In fact, there’s a very strong argument to be made that Rousey is the most important fighter in the history of women’s MMA, and maybe in all of women’s fight sports.
Ronda Rousey’s Impact on Women’s MMA
Ronda Rousey broke barriers in the world of MMA, opening doors for many talented female fighters who deserved the opportunity to showcase their skills. Despite initial resistance from UFC President Dana White, Rousey’s success paved the way for women’s MMA to thrive within the organization. As one of the biggest stars in UFC history, Rousey not only diversified the fanbase but also inspired a new generation of female fighters who now contribute to the flourishing women’s MMA scene.
While Rousey left a significant impact on the sport during her tenure, her perspective on her losses may not always align with public opinion. She tends to prioritize her own narrative over acknowledging the skill and dedication of her opponents. This attitude, combined with claims of betrayal and demonization following her defeats, reflects a level of self-centeredness that can overshadow her impressive achievements.
Watching fighters navigate the highs and lows of their careers is a compelling aspect of combat sports. Rousey excelled in celebrating victories but struggled with handling defeats gracefully. While being a sore loser is not uncommon in the competitive world of professional fighting, it may hinder one’s ability to evolve and grow as an athlete.
Rousey’s assertiveness and demand for recognition played a key role in her rise to stardom. However, it is essential to recognize the contributions of all fighters who have shaped the MMA landscape, including those who defeated Rousey. Balancing admiration for Rousey’s trailblazing efforts with respect for her competitors is crucial in understanding the complexity of her legacy in the sport.