LAS VEGAS — An Olympic medal is a prize for which athletes dedicate their entire lives.
Ronda Rousey lost hers in a bar.
The UFC women’s bantamweight champion said Wednesday she’s misplaced her 2008 Olympic bronze judo medal on more than one occasion.
“I lost my medal like seven times,” Rousey told reporters at the UFC 170 open workouts at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. “I really did.”
According to Rousey, the most memorable such incident occurred when she attempted to use the medal to get free drinks.
“After the Olympics I was like ‘I never get to drink,’ so I was like, ‘maybe I’ll get free drinks if I go out with my medal.’ There were so many times I woke up the next morning and thought ‘where’s my medal, is it under the bed?’
“A friend of mine woke up, on an airplane,” Rousey continued, “and reached into his pocket, and said look at this, it’s your medal.'”
Rousey defends her bantamweight belt agains Sara McMann on Saturday night. The champ says she wouldn’t be too bothered if she lost her belt like she did her medal, but explained that the accomplishment of winning itself means more than physical trophies.
“I wouldn’t even be upset if I lost both my medal and my UFC belt,” Rousey said. “You can get those made. It’s what it stands for that actually means something.”