Ronda Rousey and her rise in MMA is nothing short of legendary. When she signed with Strikeforce, she was just two fights into her professional career. Yet, she quickly became a prominent figure, helping to pave the way for women in the UFC. At the time, the possibility of women fighting in the UFC seemed unlikely. UFC President Dana White had famously stated that women would never compete in the octagon. However, Rousey’s undeniable impact on the sport would ultimately change his mind.
Back in 2011, Rousey wasn’t the global superstar she is today. She was an up-and-coming fighter, determined to make a name for herself in a sport that was still grappling with the idea of women competing at the highest level. Reflecting on that time, Rousey admits she felt a strong responsibility to catch White’s attention, especially as the future of women’s MMA seemed uncertain.
“People forget how fragile that situation was and how last-minute I was able to get us in,” Rousey shared in a conversation with Chris Van Vliet. She explained that Strikeforce was the only promotion giving women a platform, largely due to Gina Carano’s influence. “Strikeforce was the only organization that was really showcasing women and that was because of Gina Carano, because her dad was involved with the Nevada Athletic Commission and was able to sanction fights for her and all these things.” she told MMA Fighting.
Carano was the face of women’s MMA until 2009, when she stepped away after a loss to Cris Cyborg. Despite Carano’s departure, Strikeforce continued to promote women’s bouts, but Rousey knew that the UFC’s acquisition of the organization could spell the end for women’s MMA.
Ronda Rousey Says She Had to Save Women’s MMA From Cris Cyborg
“When she was gone, Cris Cyborg’s pumped to the f*cking gills with steroids. No one wants to watch that cheating ass bitch. Everything just tanked. The division was dying,” Rousey stated bluntly. She believed that with Cyborg dominating the scene under such circumstances, the appeal of women’s MMA was dwindling, and the UFC’s takeover of Strikeforce could very well have been the nail in the coffin.
Understanding the urgency of the situation, Rousey made it her mission to make herself impossible to ignore. Her quick finishes and outspoken personality quickly set her apart. She didn’t just fight; she captivated audiences every time she spoke.
“I was the first woman signed to Strikeforce since it got bought by Zuffa, and I was brought in to replace Gina Carano because she was supposed to come in for a comeback but she wasn’t medically cleared to come back for her match,” Rousey recalled. This opportunity came when Carano’s expected return fell through, leading to Rousey stepping in to fight Sarah D’Alelio. She knew her time to make a mark was limited, so she had to make every second count.
“It was just a matter of time before they closed the whole thing and there would be nowhere that would showcase women’s MMA, so I had that much time to make sure that Dana [White] couldn’t go a single day without seeing my name somewhere. The rest is history.”
The Pressure Was a Problem
Even after successfully bringing women into the UFC, Rousey felt the pressure of ensuring the division’s longevity. Initially, the UFC had only one women’s division, with Rousey as its undisputed star. Despite the eventual expansion to multiple divisions, she remained unsure of what would happen if she decided to walk away from the sport.
“Once women were brought to the UFC, [Dana] said, ‘This is an experiment, this is to see how it goes,’” Rousey explained. The future of women’s MMA seemed so closely tied to her success that she wondered what would happen if she retired undefeated. “Whereas, I think if I retired undefeated and left, I don’t know what it would be like. Because they’ve already brought in the [145-pound] division and closed it. They’re not against closing divisions.”
The Impact of Ronda Rousey
Today, the UFC boasts three women’s divisions, and while none of the current fighters have reached the same level of fame as Rousey, there’s no shortage of talent. However, Rousey believes that fighters today need to do more than just perform in the cage; they need to promote themselves and the sport.
Ronda Rousey emphasized that fighters have a responsibility beyond just showing up to fight. “I think one thing people don’t understand now as fighters — and the ones that do understand it do extremely well — it’s like, you have to promote your fight as hard as you train for it,” she said. According to Rousey, it’s not just about the company promoting you. Fighters need to take their destiny into their own hands.
“A lot of people feel so secure in their position that they can just show up and fight and they should get everything thrown at them. It’s not the company that promotes you. You shouldn’t be expecting the company to spend all this money to promote you. What are they going to do? Make more commercials? You have to go out there and promote yourself. You have to go out there and be a character and make your fights into a story, and the things that I learned from pro wrestling.”
Rousey’s experience in pro wrestling taught her that being an entertainer is just as important as being an athlete. She stressed that fighters should dedicate as much effort to promoting themselves as they do to training. “A lot of people just think of it as a bother or something they have to do because the company makes them do it. That’s why you see some people that are absolutely incredible and no one outside of MMA has ever heard of them.”
Cris Cyborg Fires Back
Cris Cyborg, who has been at the centre of Rousey’s criticisms, has since responded to these comments. It’s clear that even after all these years, the rivalry between the two remains as heated as ever.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images and Embed from Getty Images
