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What’s the story?
Ronda Rousey’s plan was to retire undefeated from the UFC, but all that changed when she lost to Holly Holm at UFC 193. That loss devastated her completely and ravaged her dreams of retiring as the first ever undefeated UFC champion.
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Rousey took a year long hiatus from MMA only to return at UFC 207, to face Amanda Nunes for her bantamweight champion title. What came next was something no one could have imagined, the referee had to step in and stop the fight in mere 48 seconds of the first round. Rousey’s comeback dream was shattered by Nunes.
Ronda Rousey recently took to Instagram and shared an inspirational quote from J.K Rowling “And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”
This first social media post from Ronda Rousey after her loss, had supporters pouring from all over, leaving heartwarming messages. Among them was Rousey’s longtime rival Cris Cyborg, who posted some kind words for her fellow fighter on her Instagram post:
In case you didn’t know...
Rousey’s last two fights did not go the way she wanted, prior to this ‘Rowdy’ Ronda Rousey (12-2-0) had 12 wins on the trot, with 11 first round finishes. She was named World’s Most Dominant Athlete in Sports Illustrated cover story in 2015.
She was an Olympic bronze medalist in Judo at 2008 Beijing Olympics and UFC’s first ever women’s Bantamweight Champion.
Chris Cyborg and Ronda Rousey are longtime rivals and have engaged in verbal jabs in the past. Cyborg (16-1-0) wanted to face Rousey in the Octagon but it failed to materialize. Rousey has called Cyborg a steroid abuser and a cheater in the past.
The heart of the matter
Rousey was the one who convinced UFC president Dana White to give women a chance to compete in the Octagon. In November 2012, White announced that Rousey had signed with the UFC.
She had thus, opened the gates for all other female athletes. Rousey took the sport to a whole different level, she paved the way for women fighters to headline main events and get bigger endorsement deals. She transcended from being a fighter to an icon for women all around the globe.
What’s next?
It is not yet clear to anyone which path Rousey will take. She has faced adversity and bounced back stronger in the past too. All the UFC fans will be delighted if she decides to continue her MMA career.
She has many other options available to her if she chooses otherwise. Rousey has the doors of WWE open to her and has even appeared in Hollywood films and talk shows.
Sportskeeda’s take
Rousey will always be seen as a trailblazer, who took the MMA by storm and conquered everyone’s heart. She no longer is just an MMA fighter anymore. She is a role model and inspiration for women all over the world. She proved that with hard work and dedication, no feat is unattainable.
Her legacy is such that even her rivals have nothing but words of praise and admiration. In this case, Cris Cyborg took this opportunity and offered support with kind words.
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