As she looks in the rearview mirror at her MMA career, Ronda Rousey doesn’t agree with the way she was treated by some in the space including UFC commentator Joe Rogan and the sport’s media members.
In a recent interview with The Chris Cuomo Project, Rousey discussed recent revelations from her book, “Our Fight: A Memoir,” that she struggled with concussions throughout her career.
Rousey also vented why her taste has been soured by her perception of other’s perceptions toward her during and after the decline of her competitive combat sports career.
“It was really disappointing to see how happily everybody turned on me and how people like Joe Rogan, who were crying in the ring about the honor to be able to call my fights, people I considered friends in the media, so quickly turned on me,” Rousey said. “I also am kind of grateful for it in a way because it forced me to separate other people’s perception of me from my own perception of myself, which I realized had really become intertwined when you have that kind of outpouring of love and support from people.
“It was like you’re being love-bombed by the world. You’re like, ‘How do I keep this going? How do I keep this going?’ It was pushing me into a lifestyle that was to impress everybody else. Like, I was pandering to everybody. I was doing things that I felt like other people would think was cool but that I didn’t really enjoy. I don’t enjoy being paparazzi famous. I hate it. I do not want to be that level of fame where I can’t have a normal life.”
Following her consecutive knockout losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, Rousey claimed the sport’s media members’ attitudes toward her changed. Rousey said she feels disrespected by what she deemed a lack of credit.
“MMA media hates me,” Rousey said. “No, not a single person has called me or anything like that. They’ve all just doubled down or said I’m making excuses or lying or blowing things out of proportion or not giving credit where it’s due. No, I have not. I’ll be waiting for that call forever. … I’m not waiting for it, and I get they’re a bunch of assh*les. That’s what I get. I get f*ck you. At least, I would rather not have those fake friendships in my life. I would rather have those people expose themselves, and I don’t leave myself open to them. I would rather cleanse myself of all those fake, superficial relationships than have them still around.”
In the end, Rousey said her experience of being drowned in love and then criticism gave her mental clarity. It helped mold a new perspective and direction, including a passion for farming with her husband, former UFC heavyweight Travis Browne.
“I was pursuing that kind of lifestyle because I felt like that was what I was supposed to do,” Rousey said. “Being put through that, it really forced me to see this isn’t real love. This is fake. They don’t actually know me. They don’t actually love me. They don’t actually hate me. This is a reflection of themselves and what they’re going through and what I represent to them. So it really forced me to take a step back.”
Rousey, 37, stepped away from fighting after the December 2016 loss to Nunes. She transitioned more fully into professional wrestling and WWE in 2017. In October 2023, Rousey indicated her retirement from professional wrestling. However, she made a few appearances on the independent wrestling circuit in the weeks that followed.
