Ronda Rousey changed the face of combat sports forever. She forced the UFC to accept women fighters through sheer dominance. Furthermore, she successfully transitioned from the octagon to the wrestling ring and the silver screen. Consequently, her life story offers surprising details beyond her famous armbar. Explore these fascinating details about the "Rowdy" superstar.
Ronda Rousey
She could not speak intelligibly until she was six years old. Specifically, she suffered from apraxia of speech, which is a neurological childhood disorder. Therefore, she worked intensively with speech therapists to learn how to communicate clearly.
Her mother was also a legendary fighter. AnnMaria De Mars became the first American to win a World Judo Championship in 1984. Thus, she taught Ronda Rousey how to execute armbars from a very young age.
She was the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in Judo. She achieved this historic milestone by winning bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. After this victory, she retired from Judo to pursue a new path in mixed martial arts.
Before she found fame, she lived in her car. She struggled financially after her Olympic win and worked as a bartender to make ends meet. Unfortunately, she had to sleep in her Honda Accord until she could afford an apartment.
She used to be a moderator for a Pokemon online forum. surprisingly, she loved the game so much that she managed discussions on a fan site. She spent hours trading tips under the username “mew182.”
“Rowdy” Roddy Piper personally gave her his nickname. Initially, she refused to use the name “Rowdy” because she felt it was disrespectful to the wrestling legend. However, Piper gave her his blessing to carry on the torch before he passed away.
She defeated opponents in seconds. Remarkably, she won eight of her first twelve professional fights in under one minute. Her fastest victory took only 14 seconds against Cat Zingano.
Sylvester Stallone recruited her for The Expendables 3. He saw her fighting skills and created a role specifically for her. Consequently, she filmed movie scenes with action legends like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Harrison Ford.
She voiced the character Sonya Blade in Mortal Kombat 11. The game developers chose her to bring the iconic soldier to life. Thus, players can hear her actual voice while they perform fatalities in the game.
Ronda Rousey is the only woman to champion both the UFC and WWE. She held the UFC Bantamweight title and later won the WWE Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championships. This unique achievement cements her legacy in two different sports.
She has a massive crush on Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z. She openly admits that the anime character was her “cartoon crush” growing up. Frequently, she wears shirts featuring the Saiyan prince to public events.
She owns a sustainable farm called Browsey Acres. She and her husband raise wagyu cows, chickens, and goats on their property. They aim to live off the land and produce their own food.
She hosts a show where she fights celebrities in strange challenges. On the show Ronda Rousey Uncaged, she teaches stars how to survive in the wild. She focuses on showing the reality of nature rather than a polished Hollywood version.
She refused to break her armbar grip even after the bell rang. In her first amateur fight, she dislocated her opponent’s elbow instantly. She later explained that her mother taught her to keep pulling until the referee physically stops the fight.
Finally, she paved the way for women in the UFC. President Dana White famously said women would “never” fight in his organization. However, Ronda Rousey convinced him otherwise and became the first female fighter to sign a contract.
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