Four months have passed since former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey was shockingly dethroned by Holly Holm at UFC 193, but the mixed martial arts (MMA) world still waits on pins and needles for the announcement of ‘Rowdy’s’ return. Still the queen of MMA and most recognized athlete in the UFC, the popular fighter/movie
Four months have passed since former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey was shockingly dethroned by Holly Holm at UFC 193, but the mixed martial arts (MMA) world still waits on pins and needles for the announcement of ‘Rowdy’s’ return.
Still the queen of MMA and most recognized athlete in the UFC, the popular fighter/movie star teased this week that she could now bite an apple online, one of her gauges to test her readiness to potentially return to the cage, and indeed, there are some signs that may point to her coming back relatively soon.
However, there are possibly even more signs that suggest she may not, and the serious nature of those could also point to her being a shell of her former self even if she does decide to come back.
Overall, it’s a polarizing debate that undoubtedly has the entire sport of MMA wondering just what will happen next. Let’s take a look at some of the factors why – or why not – Rousey will be her dominant self once again.
UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm reacts to Ronda Rousey’s recent declaration that she’s still undefeated… It wasn’t that long ago that a different undefeated women’s bantamweight champion reigned above the division. Ronda Rousey, credited with being a pioneer of women’s MMA, was described as the most dominant athlete in modern sports. The hype and
UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm reacts to Ronda Rousey’s recent declaration that she’s still undefeated…
It wasn’t that long ago that a different undefeated women’s bantamweight champion reigned above the division. Ronda Rousey, credited with being a pioneer of women’s MMA, was described as the most dominant athlete in modern sports. The hype and media storm that constantly surrounded ‘Rowdy’ soon came to a crashing halt though, as her crown was toppled by a thudding head kick at UFC 193. The source of the now infamous left boot to Rousey’s nugget was Holly Holm.
The Jackson’s MMA prospect came in to the fight as a sleeper, but left with the most glorious and dominant victory possible. Out striking Rousey throughout, defending the takedowns and throw attempts, and landing one of the greatest highlight reel finishes ever, ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ had arrived.
So much has happened since that time, Rousey has gone in to hiding and come back out, and then most recently she gave a highly emotional and revealing interview to Ellen DeGeneres. Among the hot topics discussed were the feelings of suicide that ‘Rowdy’ experienced after her November 2013 loss in Melbourne, Australia, and also that she still considered herself undefeated. The comments on her status and not counting the loss to Holm seemed to tickle the new champion, not surprisingly.
Skip to page 2 for Holly Holm’s reaction to the comments made by Ronda Rousey…
The UFC’s long standing color commentator Joe Rogan is not afraid to speak his mind. This time he’s discussing Ronda Rousey and CM Punk with MMA legend Bas Rutten… Joe Rogan has seen many eras of the UFC come and go during his time as color commentator. The stand up comedian and podcast host has
The UFC’s long standing color commentator Joe Rogan is not afraid to speak his mind. This time he’s discussing Ronda Rousey and CM Punk with MMA legend Bas Rutten…
Joe Rogan has seen many eras of the UFC come and go during his time as color commentator. The stand up comedian and podcast host has watched champions rise and fall, and numerous historic moments in mixed martial arts from just feet away in his commentary position. With experience in kickboxing competition and some high level grappling too, Rogan is a knowledgeable character and well placed to critique what goes on in the octagon.
One such historic moment that Rogan was privy to was the UFC 193 main event between Holly Holm and Ronda Rousey. ‘Rowdy,’ at the time, was experiencing levels of hype that were unseen with all her predecessors. She was the biggest pay-per-view draw, and the UFC marketed her to their full abilities, including promo videos that were more akin to a Hollywood movie trailer. As it turned out, the promotion’s trip down under to break all records at the Etihad stadium didn’t quite turn out as everyone had expected.
Rousey was catastrophically dethroned by Holm after suffering a nasty beating, followed by a fight finishing highlight reel head kick KO. This was just the beginning of her woes, as ‘Rowdy’ would become the subject of a fierce wave of online hate from fans the world over. She would later claim that she’d considered suicide in the aftermath of her first pro loss. Once again, Joe Rogan was on the front line to witness this game changing moment, and he told Bas Rutten during his most recent JRE Podcast exactly what he felt went wrong for ‘Rowdy’ in Australia:
Joe Rogan:
“I know that after the fight, that night, she was devastated. That was a brutal knockout, and it was just a fight where nothing worked. She went after Holly, she tried to bully her, but Holly just had great footwork and movement. The way she would counter as Ronda moved in, the kickboxing, Holly has the best footwork and movement in all women’s MMA. The way she countered Ronda, and Ronda’s bulldog style she fought with on that night, it just played right in to Holly’s hands. That head kick…
This week, the mixed martial arts (MMA) community was dealt the shocking revelation that former UFC women’s bantamweight Ronda Rousey actually considered suicide following her devastating knockout loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193 when the ultra-popular “Rowdy” revealed her formerly frail state in an emotional interview on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” There were understandably
This week, the mixed martial arts (MMA) community was dealt the shocking revelation that former UFC women’s bantamweight Ronda Rousey actually considered suicide following her devastating knockout loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193 when the ultra-popular “Rowdy” revealed her formerly frail state in an emotional interview on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
There were understandably a mixed bag of reactions to the news, with some of her fans exhibiting compassion and understanding while others showed a cold and cruel lack of remorse in suggesting Rousey was only doing it for attention, and the MMA media justifiably wondered if she is truly ready to step back into the Octagon for the title rematch that is tentatively talked about for late this year.
Either way, it was tough for Rousey to find too much sympathy as a millionaire movie actress whether she has the belt or not, and prominent MMA figures like Holm and former UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar spoke out to state that while they felt for Rousey, they didn’t necessarily feel that sorry for her.
It’s no doubt a shall we say, different, point of view from a once-dominant champion who, only four months ago was considered unstoppable and a candidate to retire undefeated as arguably the best fighter in UFC history. Now that that’s gone, however, all of the dynamics might suggest that Rousey won’t win the title again, and her mental state could certainly have a lot to do with that. Let’s take a look at the largest reasons why Rousey won’t regain her title.
Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey took her loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193 hard. Rousey was KO’d with a head kick by Holm to not only lose her title, but it also broke her undefeated streak. Rousey, who said going into the fight that she wanted to retire undefeated, said on The Ellen
Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey took her loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193 hard. Rousey was KO’d with a head kick by Holm to not only lose her title, but it also broke her undefeated streak. Rousey, who said going into the fight that she wanted to retire undefeated, said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Tuesday (transcribed by the Daily Mail) that she almost committed suicide following the loss.
“I was literally sitting there and thinking about killing myself and that exact second I’m like ‘I’m nothing, what do I do anymore and no one gives a s–t about me anymore without this.’
However, she changed her mind when she saw her boyfriend and fellow UFC fighter Travis Browne.
“To be honest, I looked up, and I saw my man Travis was standing up there, and I looked up at him, and I was like, I need to have his babies. I need to stay alive.”
Rousey revealed that she was hit so hard by Holm that she doesn’t remember most of the fight.
“In that first hit I cut open my whole mouth, and I knocked my teeth loose,” said Rousey on the show. “I knew she was out there, but like I really don’t remember most of it. So I was trying my best to kind of hide the fact that I wasn’t even there anymore.”
Now, on the positive side, Rousey is already back training. Rousey and UFC President Dana White has gone on record by saying that she would return to MMA late in 2016 due to her movie schedule.
It’s expected that if Holm can defeat Miesha Tate in the co-main event of UFC 196, then she would fight Rousey this year.
Unquestionably one of the most shocking nights in sport history, UFC 193 went down on November 14, 2015 live on pay-per-view (PPV) from the Etihad Stadium in Australia. The main event featured previously dominant women’s bantamweight champion “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey putting her strap on the line against decorated boxing champion Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm.
Unquestionably one of the most shocking nights in sport history, UFC 193 went down on November 14, 2015 live on pay-per-view (PPV) from the Etihad Stadium in Australia.
The main event featured previously dominant women’s bantamweight champion “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey putting her strap on the line against decorated boxing champion Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm.
Heading into the event, Rousey held a perfect 12-0 professional record along with an Olympic Judo background and she was a massive favorite to beat Holm.
Despite the obvious credentials of “The Preacher’s Daughter”, many had felt as if Rousey would simply run through Holm like she had all of her previous opponents.
Well, as they say, anything can happen in the fight game, and so it did.
Holm went on to pick apart the “Rowdy” one throughout the first round, bloodying and tiring the champion in a one-sided showcase.
The second round then came and it was the beginning of the end for Rousey, as Holm would land a brutal head kick early on that shut the lights off for the “Rowdy” one.
Very few saw it coming, and it will undoubtedly live on as one of the most monumental events in mixed martial arts history.
Relive the action with the full fight below courtesy of the UFC:
Holm is now set to defend her title in the co-main event of March 5’s UFC 196 against former Strikeforce champion Miesha Tate.
Skip to page 2 for Holly Holm’s reaction to the comments made by Ronda Rousey…