SouthernWorldwide.com – This Saturday marks the highly anticipated return of Ronda Rousey to mixed martial arts after a hiatus of over nine years. If all goes according to plan, this fight will also serve as her farewell to the sport.
Rousey, widely considered one of the greatest female MMA stars of all time, is set to face fellow legendary fighter Gina Carano. The bout will take place outside of Los Angeles, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The event is being promoted by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions.
At 39 years old, Rousey’s return is a significant moment for MMA fans. She was the first woman to be signed by the UFC and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018. Her initial retirement from MMA came in 2016, after successfully defending the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship six times.
Following her MMA career, Rousey transitioned to professional wrestling, joining WWE full-time. Her MMA record was impressive, starting with 12 consecutive wins before suffering losses in her final two bouts to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes. Notably, nine of Rousey’s 12 victories were secured within the first 70 seconds of the fight, with all but one win coming in the first round.
Despite being away from the sport for nearly a decade, Rousey described her current training camp as feeling significantly different. She emphasized a shift in focus, making enjoyment a priority rather than solely focusing on the outcome.
“We made joy a priority — actually enjoying the process instead of just hoping enjoyment would come along the way,” Rousey revealed. “Before, everything was so result-oriented. Now, it’s about the process.”
This change in mindset has led to improved performance and a better overall feeling for the fighter. “And once we made that shift, ‘Let’s make this as fun as possible,’ I started getting better results than ever. I feel better than I ever have, physically and mentally.”
Rousey reflected on her past training philosophy, which was more aligned with an “old-school mentality” that equated suffering with success. “I used to be very much in that old-school mentality of, you have to suffer and make yourself miserable in order to be the best you can be,” she explained.
However, her perspective has evolved. “And now it’s like, no, I realize it doesn’t have to be that. I can enjoy this as much as possible, and it makes me the best that I can be. Because I already know that I’m a bada–. I already know that I can dig deep. I’ve already paid all those dues, I’ve done all of those things. So I think just making it fun… good vibes only, it’s all about me, there’s none of this other stuff going on around me, no superfluous noise.”
The primary motivation behind Rousey’s return to the octagon is her opponent, Gina Carano. Rousey explained that the idea for this fight solidified when she was nine months pregnant.
“Gina, that’s the reason,” she stated. “I was sitting nine months pregnant, about to pop, in an office chair. I saw her at a low point, losing her bodily identity and being really unhealthy.”
Rousey drew inspiration from the success of other veteran fighters and the evolving landscape of combat sports. “And after seeing Mike Tyson come back at nearly (age) 60 and be the most-viewed combat sports event of all time, I knew there was a huge demand out there and that these showcase fights were the future of combat sports.”
The connection between her and Carano was a key factor. “When I saw where Gina was at, and I looked down at my big belly, where I was at, I was like, ‘You know what? A fight between us would be huge not just for the world, but for each other.’” she recalled.
Rousey credits Carano with inspiring her initial foray into MMA and now, her return. “And I think this is what combat sports needs. This is what we need. And just like she inspired me to do MMA in the first place, she’s the one who inspired me to come back.”
Despite the excitement of her return, Rousey has made firm commitments regarding this being her final fight. “I promised my husband and swore up and down to my sister that this is her final fight,” she confirmed.
The prospect of a farewell fight after nearly a decade away brings a complex mix of emotions. Rousey described the familiar physical sensations that precede a major performance. “That fluttering in the chest, that nervousness, I know that’s what happens when I’m about to do great things.”
She has learned to embrace these feelings rather than fear them. “I don’t become afraid of my own anxiety or my own fear, in a way. I wouldn’t even label it like that. I’m not afraid of how my body reacts to those things, because I know that’s what it does before I do something great.”
Rousey believes she performs at her best under pressure. “I perform above myself when I’m under a huge amount of pressure. So when I feel those symptoms of that pressure, I don’t shy away from it and get scared of it. It’s more like the launch sequence before the rocket blasts off.”
While the experience has been enjoyable, Rousey remains focused on the ultimate goal: winning. However, she expressed a unique sentiment regarding her opponent, Gina Carano.
“If there’s anyone on this earth who I would be okay with taking my happiness and running around with it, it’s Gina,” Rousey admitted. “Because she’s the only person in women’s MMA that doesn’t owe me a damn thing—and that I owe immensely.”
Rousey feels a deep sense of gratitude towards Carano, believing her own success is partly due to her. “And if this is the only way that I can give back to her—to give her the comeback story of a lifetime—I owe everything, all the prosperity in my life, to her. If that’s the way that it has to go, then that’s the way that it has to go.”
Despite this profound respect and admiration, Rousey is still determined to win. She intends to showcase the fighter Carano inspired her to become.
“She’s going to have to pry victory from my cold, dead fingers. Because I want to show her the monster that she created. And I want her to be proud of me,” Rousey declared.
In a powerful statement about the respect she holds for her opponent, Rousey added, “I want me beating the s— out of her to actually be the greatest compliment I could ever pay her.”
