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During an interview with Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com, Travis Browne confirmed that he is in a relationship with fellow UFC fighter Ronda Rousey.
Here’s a look at everything you need to know about the pair of fighters.
1. Browne Says They Aren’t ‘Dating’
Rumored to be with Rousey since August, Browne, 33, finally addressed the speculation during his interview with Helwani, confirming that he and the 28-year-old women’s bantamweight champ are in fact together (entire interview can be seen above, portion about Rousey begins at 1:26:15).
“Hapa,” however, was keen on pointing out that “dating is for children.” Here’s the full quote, transcribed by FOX Sports’ Elias Cepeda:
Dating is for kids. Over the summer, through all the sh*t that I had to shuffle through, that I had to sift through, Ronda and I started talking throughout the summer and I’ll say now that we are together. She’s my woman and I’m her man. There’s no boyfriend, girlfriend stuff. There’s no dating. We’re together.
2. Browne Was Accused of Domestic Abuse Against His Ex-Wife
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In July, Browne found himself in the headlines for the wrong reason when his now estranged wife, fitness model Jenna Renee Webb, accused him of domestic abuse.
“Probably one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made was walking away from this life and starting over,” she wrote on an Instagram picture that showed bruises on her body. “I’m still ashamed for staying as long as I did.”
In a later comment, she confirmed she was talking about Browne.
The UFC responded by pulling Browne from an upcoming appearance, but after an investigation that involved an FBI expert, the veteran heavyweight fighter was reinstated in late August.
Browne also has two sons from a previous marriage.
3. Rousey Was Previously Linked to UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub
In 2014, Rousey was involved in a romantic relationship with 32-year-old Brendan Schaub. Although it was never actually public, most bought into the rumors, and a profile by The New Yorker‘s Kelefa Sanneh confirmed they had dated at some point.
The relationship ultimately ended, but it recently came to light again when Schaub had some interesting comments about his former girlfriend:
Believe me, I did her a favor man. I’m not the guy for the job. I’m just not. I’m too much (of a man). She needs a guy who’s gonna take a backseat. That’s not me. She also needs a guy that’s gonna say ‘yes ma’am, yes ma’am’.
She’s so successful, she’s surrounded by people that worship her and go ‘yes, yes, that’s a great idea’. But when I said ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea’, now I’m a hater. I have no financial gain from you. I don’t need anything from you, I’ve earned everything myself.
Interestingly enough, Browne and Schaub fought at UFC 181 in December 2014, with Browne coming out on top with a first-round knockout.
4. Rousey & Browne Train at the Same Gym
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According to Browne, he and Rousey have been training at the same gym–Glendale Fighting Club–for more than a year. It’s there where Browne has earned his respect for the champ:
I’ve gotten to know her through the gym, through all that kind of stuff. I see her for who she is. The fact that she’s out there winning ESPYs and…on the movie screens and all that kind of stuff, that’s all great, but that’s not who I know her as. I know her as one of the hardest working athletes that I’ve ever seen in this gym, busting her butt on a daily basis.
Both have upcoming fights. Browne, who most recently lost to Andrei Arlovski in May, is set to face Matt Mitrione at UFC Fight Night 81, while Rousey is headling November’s UFC 193 against Holly Holm.
5. Rousey’s Mom Calls All of her Boyfriends ‘Bob’
Rousey with her mother, AnnMaria De Mars (left). (Getty)
If Browne is planning on visiting Rousey’s family, he may have to get used to the nickname, “Bob.”
Rousey’s sister, journalist Maria Burns-Ortiz, explains:
Our mom, AnnMaria De Mars, who also happens to be the 1984 world judo champion, has a policy of calling all of our boyfriends and even potential boyfriends by the name “Bob.” Her reasoning: “What’s the point in learning his name if he’s not going to be sticking around?”
She also assigns completely arbitrary numbers to each Bob to differentiate one from another. For example, Ronda’s last boyfriend was “Bob 6.” And yes, she calls them that to their faces.
According to Burns-Ortiz, the only way for a potential boyfriend to shake the nickname is by marrying into the family.
