Former UFC star Ronda Rousey has criticized the MMA media for their lack of support following her revelation of concussion issues that contributed to her career-ending loss, stating that she does not expect any positive coverage from them.
Ronda Rousey’s not holding her breath for any glowing reviews from the MMA press. Not anytime soon, at least. She’s been back in the spotlight lately, promoting her new autobiography, “Our Fight”. In her interviews, she’s been pretty candid about the concussion issues that played a part in her notorious defeat to Holly Holm at UFC 193.
These issues, she says, were also the reason she hung up her gloves. Rousey’s last two UFC fights were brutal losses. She faced a lot of flak from fans and media alike. And she hasn’t forgotten.
“It was a real letdown to see how quickly everyone turned on me,” Rousey confessed on “The Chris Cuomo Project”. She was especially hurt by people like Joe Rogan, who she thought were friends. “I’m kinda grateful for it, though,” she added. It forced her to separate what others thought of her from what she thought of herself.
She felt like she was living to impress others, doing things she thought others would find cool but didn’t really enjoy. “I hate being paparazzi famous,” she admitted. “I don’t want that level of fame, where I can’t have a normal life.” She felt like she was chasing that lifestyle because she thought it was expected of her.
Rousey was a big draw for UFC from 2013-2016. She defended her bantamweight title six times in a row, with only one defense going beyond a round. But after her loss to Holm, her career took a nosedive. She fought once more before leaving UFC and moving to professional wrestling with WWE.
Her WWE stint had its highs, like being the first woman to headline WrestleMania. But she’s been critical of how her run ended in 2023. Now that she’s opened up about her injuries, does she expect critics to reassess her history?
“The MMA media hates me, it’s fine,” Rousey said, laughing. “No one’s reached out to me. They’ve all just doubled down, accusing me of making excuses, lying, or blowing things out of proportion.” She’s not expecting any calls.
“I’m not waiting for it. They’re a bunch of assh*les,” Rousey said when asked about the criticism. “That’s what I get. I get, ‘F*ck you.’ I’d rather not have those fake friendships in my life. I’d rather those people expose themselves and I don’t leave myself open to them. I’d rather cleanse myself of all those fake, superficial relationships than have them still around.”