UFC superstar Ronda Rousey joined high-profile celebrities such as musician Taylor Swift, actress Jessica Alba and television host John Oliver on Fortune‘s “40 Under 40” list for 2015, out Thursday.
Daniel Roberts and Leigh Gallagher of Fortune noted that the distinction is not based purely on wealth like many lists of this type. Rather the list is built through analyzing a person’s power and influence along with factors like achievements and ambition.
The outlet raved about Rousey’s budding widespread appeal, ranging from her unmatched dominance inside the Octagon to her film roles and appearance at WWE’s biggest event, WrestleMania.
She’s also received praise for her comments about body image. Julie Mazziotta of Health.com passed along remarks Rousey made while shooting for Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue, stating there shouldn’t be a “cookie cutter body type” all women try to attain.
“I felt like I was much too small for a magazine that is supposed to be celebrating the epitome of a woman,” she said. “I wanted to be at my most feminine shape, and I don’t feel my most attractive at 135 pounds, which is the weight I fight at. At 150 pounds, I feel like I’m at my healthiest and my strongest and my most beautiful.”
Still, her rise began with her ability to change the MMA landscape. UFC President Dana White once stated there would never be women in the promotion. Now, not only are they a constant presence on the cards, but Rousey is a major mainstream draw for UFC.
The 28-year-old California native sports a 12-0 career MMA record. All but one of her fights have ended in the first round, and her last four fights have lasted a combined two minutes and 10 seconds, illustrating the wide gap between her and everybody else in the bantamweight division.
In turn, she’s become a far more prominent figure on a worldwide scale. Her placement on the Fortune list further solidifies that budding popularly and influence.
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