Getty Former UFC champ Ronda Rousey
Ronda Rousey doesn’t plan on fighting again in the UFC. The 32-year-old from Riverside, Calif., revealed in an interview with Steve-O posted on the former UFC champ’s official YouTube channel that she’s sick of having to hear the same questions over and over again from people asking her when she’ll fight again.
In fact, Rousey revealed that people she encountered on a daily basis even went so far as to tell Rousey she absolutely should fight again.
“There’s not a day that goes by people aren’t telling me to fight,” Rousey said. “I have to try and think of it as, would I rather be the greatest of all time, or have everybody think I’m the greatest of all time? It used to be so important to me to have both.”
But Rousey said she’s content with her life as it is, which recently included a run as a professional wrestler with the WWE. The former Olympic bronze medalist in Judo and MMA world champion with Strikeforce and the UFC perhaps single-handedly made the biggest impact on the sport in terms of creating higher demand for women’s MMA fights. Still, Rousey said she simply doesn’t want to put her body in harm’s way like that again.
“But now it’s got to the point where I don’t want to sacrifice myself and my family to prove that anymore to a bunch of people that don’t give a sh**t about me,” Rousey said.
Follow the Heavy on UFC Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content!
Former Champ’s Priorities Don’t Include Fighting Anymore
It’s been over three years since Rousey lost back-to-back UFC contests to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, and it doesn’t appear Rousey will ever try to avenge them. During the same interview, Rousey revealed more details about why.
“I know (my place in combat sports history), and the people who love me know. It’s no longer a priority in my life,” Rousey said. “All the people that tell you, ‘Come on, fight again, do this again,’ they would never do that for me.”
Rousey’s tone, and the way she describes her thoughts around the issue, indicates she now prefers the ardor of those closest to her over the fickle desires of fans. She said she sees her life as more than just what she’s capable of doing inside the Octagon and is no longer interested in chasing the praises of complete strangers.
“It’s hard when everyone around you, the value they have for you is how you fight, and how they see you is how you fight, and the only thing they think you have to offer is how you fight,” Rousey said. “It was actually my husband that taught me I’m so much more than just a fighter. I don’t have to fight myself into the ground to prove that I’m the greatest of all time when I already know that I am.”
Rousey is married to Travis Browne, a heavyweight MMA fighter who last competed in the UFC back in 2017.
Rousey Focused on Future Endeavors Only
Rousey said her life today was less about what she accomplished in the past and more about what her life could be in the future. For her, that means she doesn’t expect to be fighting again in the UFC or any other MMA promotional company either.
“That’s something I really had to deal with stepping away from the UFC was finding my identity without it, because I got so lost in it,” Rousey said.
Rousey said she’s seen the same thing happen with other MMA fighters over the years, and that she believes that’s why they keep fighting rather than moving on to something else.
“It’s tough because you’re with these people and you’re like, ‘Oh my god, I got to live this journey with you, this is amazing’ and then you see some of these Bellator fights and you’re like, ‘Oh my god, this person’s still going?’”
Seeing that is tough on Rousey’s heart.
“I can’t watch it,” Rousey said. “It makes me sad.”
Still, Rousey does plan on continuing her WWE career sometime in the future. Her last appearance with the company was last year at Wrestlemania 35 where she became the first female WWE superstar alongside Becky Lynch to be featured in the main event at a Wrestlemania show.
And when might her return be?
“I don’t know when I’m gonna go back,” Rousey said. “I do know that I definitely want to.”
Comments
Ronda Rousey Won’t Fight for ‘People That Don’t Give a S**t’ About Her