Ronda Rousey. She’s a name that has taken the mixed martial arts world by storm.
A year ago, few people outside of the most hardcore fans of the sport knew that Rousey, a former Olympic bronze medalist in judo, possessed the kind of skills and technique to make an impact on the sport within months of making her professional debut.
She did exactly that, finishing both of her early Strikeforce fights by arm bar early in the first round and then proceeding to create a name for herself by calling out women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate. Rousey created a blood feud with Tate, leading to one of the most-hyped female MMA fights of all-time.
And then, Rousey did exactly what she said she was going to do: She submitted Tate in the first round by arm bar.
Rousey’s star continues to rise, so it’s fitting that she appears semi-nude in ESPN Magazine’s “Bodies” issue. Last year, it was light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, and this year, it’s the women’s champ who has captured the attention of the sporting world.
Check out the photos inside.