Ronda Rousey put women’s MMA on the map after making a name for herself in Strikeforce and becoming a superstar in the UFC. From her debut fight in the UFC, she was one of the biggest box office draws in the history of the sport.
After a dominant run as the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion, Rousey lost her last two fights against Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes. The final time she competed inside of the Octagon was in December 2016 when she lost in the first round by knockout.
Rousey took time away from the spotlight and then signed with WWE where she has been used as a top star and held both the Raw and SmackDown Women’s Titles.
While speaking with fellow UFC Hall Of Famer Daniel Cormier for his YouTube channel, Rousey discussed her decision to walk away from the sport. Rousey started off by noting it was difficult to quit both judo and MMA because she felt everyone around her wanted more from her.
“I think that’s a mistake that I made with MMA, was when I got to that point where I didn’t want it anymore, I kept doing it for everybody else.”
Rousey stated to be at the top level, you have to be a people pleaser whether that is pleasing your coach, parents, and fans. While she thinks it’s one of the things that help you excel, it can also be an obstacle a lot of times.
“Knowing when is the right time to walk away, it’s got to be your decision because not everybody else is going to come to a consensus. Nobody knows what you’re actually going through and what it actually takes. You’re like a novelty on TV every couple of months whereas that’s your every day and your reality.
I think that setting boundaries with that relationship of everybody else, and not doing things for them and doing things for you even though you won’t be understood, I think that was the hardest part. Letting go of that need of feeling understood because no one’s ever going to.”
Rousey stated that she didn’t watch the fight at UFC 269 where Julianna Pena stunned Nunes to win the Women’s Bantamweight Title because she knows too many people still fighting and she gets hurt when they suffer a loss.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit The DC Check-In with an h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription
H/T to MMA Fighting
