Ronda Rousey Opens Up On Being Underappreciated: “People Forget Very Quickly”

There are hardly any sportsmen in combat sports who have made such an impression as Ronda Rousey. Since her historic achievements in judo and her status as the first female superstar of the UFC, Rousey has changed the way women are viewed in the MMA world. However, her historic accomplishments notwithstanding, Rousey feels that she has not been recognized. Speaking candidly in a recent interview, she expressed frustration at how quickly fans and media have shifted focus, saying, “People forget very quickly. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten the credit I deserve.”

Her message has sparked debate about her legacy, the expectations on female fighters, and the unforgiving nature of combat sports fandom.

Rousey’s Rise to Stardom

Women’s MMA had a low profile before Ronda Rousey. Dana White, who used to insist on women never fighting in the UFC, notoriously changed his mind after watching Rousey rise to meteoric status. In 2012, she was the first female to be a UFC signee and was crowned bantamweight champion immediately.

The sport had never witnessed her fighting style. Rousey tore the division apart with her Olympic-level judo coupled with lightning-fast submissions. Her armbar finishes were legendary, and some of the fights lasted less than a minute. She successfully defended her belt 6 times between 2013 and 2015, becoming the face of women’s MMA and one of the largest box office attractions in the UFC.

She was a pioneer to fans and critics alike. Pay-per-view was skyrocketing, arenas were full, and her dominance helped to persuade those who were skeptical that women in MMA should be on the highest stage of competition.

The Downfall and Backlash

This dominance of Rousey ended her career in a steep decline. In November 2015, she was crushed by Holly Holm in a knockout defeat at UFC 193, a loss that rocked the sporting world. The halo of invincibility that had enveloped her was broken overnight. Her return match a year later with Amanda Nunes was another first-round defeat.

These losses altered the story. The fans and media that used to sing her praises as invincible soon reversed gears, with critics doubting her capacity to adapt and her psychological resilience. Rousey withdrew into the background, not attending post-fight press conferences and eventually quitting MMA altogether.

Reflecting on that period, Rousey admitted, “People only remember the losses. They forget the years of dominance, the barriers I broke, and how I made women’s MMA what it is today.”

Transition to WWE and Beyond

Rousey left the UFC and entered a new era of professional wrestling. She joined WWE in 2018 and became one of its largest draws, headlining WrestleMania and making history again by being included in the first all-female main event in the history of the company.

Although her WWE run showed that she could rebrand herself, she was also criticized there. Her quick ascendancy was resented by some wrestling fans and welcomed by others. Nevertheless, her success in moving to a different entertainment platform underscored the versatility of Rousey and her relevance as a pioneer.

Beyond the ring, she centered on family life, performing roles and creating a legacy out of competition. Nevertheless, the pain of not being fully valued due to her work in MMA is evidently persistent.

Analysis: Words Matter to Rousey.

The remarks made by Rousey regarding the fact that she is underestimated are essential questions concerning the memory of athletes. Final impressions are frequently used to define legacies in combat sports. A fighter does not have a long-term contribution like a team player, whose work can be felt over decades.

In the case of Rousey, the timing of her defeats outweighed years of supremacy. She went from being labeled “unbeatable” to being dismissed as “overhyped” almost overnight. This change shows how shaky reputations are in MMA, especially among pioneers whose careers are put under more intense spotlights.

In addition, her view illuminates gender relations in sports. Being the first female to feature on UFC cards, Rousey was under more pressure than most. Male warriors are usually allowed to suffer several defeats without the whole legacy being put into question. In the case of Rousey, two losses were sufficient to obscure her contribution to the platform of the current female champions.

Pro and Con Voices.

Rousey is not the only one who does not agree with this evaluation. According to some fans, she is still one of the most celebrated female fighters in the history of MMA, and they cite her induction into the UFC Hall of Fame as a sign of appreciation. Others argue that she did not accept defeat gracefully, and this negatively affected her image.

But a host of warriors and businesspeople have come to her defense. Amanda Nunes, the very fighter who handed her final defeat, once acknowledged, “Without Ronda, I wouldn’t be here. None of us would. She opened the door for every woman in the UFC.”

On the same note, UFC President Dana White has severely attributed the transformation of his mind towards women’s MMA to Rousey. “She’s the reason women fight in the UFC today. Period,” White once said.

These endorsements support the fact that in the industry, Rousey is not questioned despite the divided fans.

The Legacy Debate

The legacy of the Rousey debate is, in the end, a commentary on the narrative consumption of sports audiences. There are fans who are more inclined to dominance and pioneering performance, and those who are obsessed with the final of the story of an athlete. The latter is what frustrates Rousey because the former is eclipsed by the latter.

Her case is more evident when it is compared to the pioneers in other sports. Jackie Robinson, Billie Jean King, and Serena Williams were all subject to questioning and doubt as they broke down the barriers. Their legacies over time became characterized not only by wins but also by their contribution to the changes in their respective sports. The impact that Rousey has had on the women in MMA is part of that discussion, though she is not always given credit.

Conclusion

The difficulty of building a legacy in combat sports is emphasized by the open comments of Ronda Rousey, who does not get the credit she deserves. She helped to popularize women’s MMA in the UFC, a world figure whose power attracted millions of new fans and whose presence opened the door to the current champions.

But her words show the personal price of being a pioneer. The lack of memory of the masses, the burden of expectations, and the savage character of MMA have made her feel undervalued. Regardless of whether the fans perceive her through the prism of her victories or her losses, the influence of Rousey on combat sports cannot be underestimated.

As she herself put it, “People forget very quickly. But I know what I’ve done. I changed the game forever.”

Her tale is an encouragement that legacies are not always straightforward, and real pioneers do not always receive all the credit they deserve during their lifetime.