"I wasn't there cognitively" - Ronda Rousey blames concussion for losing ill-fated UFC 193 title fight against Holly Holm
Combat sports legend Ronda Rousey has suggested that she was concussed heading into her fight against Holly Holm at UFC 193 (Nov. 15, 2015). The high-profile showdown witnessed Holm defeat Rousey via second-round KO and hand the bronze medalist Olympic Judoka her first MMA loss.
Rousey competed in just one MMA bout after that, losing to Amanda Nunes via first-round TKO at UFC 207 (Dec. 30, 2016). Following that, 'Rowdy' stepped away from professional MMA competition.
Rousey addressed multiple topics in an edition of the Not Alone podcast hosted by Valeria Lipovetsky on Tuesday (April 2, 2024). The 37-year-old's detractors have often condemned her for not adequately addressing her MMA losses.
'Rowdy' indicated that she'd suffered a number of concussions as a Judoka, which adversely affected her in the UFC and culminated in a premature retirement from MMA. Ronda Rousey recalled that she concealed her history of concussions from the UFC, as she feared that revealing the same could lead to her being medically disallowed from competing in the sport of MMA.
Moreover, the former UFC women's bantamweight champion emphasized that she's the greatest fighter ever. Rousey highlighted, however, that she was dealing with considerable "neurological damage" around the time of the Holm matchup. 'Rowdy' stated:
"People making all these judgments about me in a fight, where I was literally, my first loss, I was not like -- my mouthguard was bad. I literally came into that fight concussed from slipping down some stairs already after all these years of concussions. And then, I had an absolutely terrible weight cut, which means you have less fluid in your brain to protect it."
She added:
"And I was out on my feet for the entire fight. I was just trying to make it look like I wasn't hurt, but I wasn't there cognitively. I couldn't think as fast. I couldn't judge distance. And just from that one fight, everybody felt like, 'Oh, she's a fraud.'"
Check out Rousey's comments below (15:03):
Ronda Rousey's book 'Our Fight: A Memoir' elicits praise from veteran MMA fighters
Ronda Rousey's latest book, 'Our Fight: A Memoir,' was released on April 2, 2024 -- something she referenced during her conversation with Valeria Lipovetsky. Besides, another notable point 'Rowdy' expounded upon was that after her departure from the UFC, she'd also veiled her concussion history from the WWE.
The Hollywood personality subsequently captured multiple singles world championships and tag team titles in the WWE before bidding adieu to the promotion in 2023. On that note, by discussing her concussion history via her latest book, many believe that Ronda Rousey has likely jeopardized a potential return to MMA and/or professional wrestling competition.
Former UFC stars, MMA greats Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen, have underscored the same. They appeared to opine that although Rousey's revelations in the book may dent the prospects of her possible athletic comeback, they indicate the sincerity of her assertions and her altruistic willingness to help guide future generations of athletes.