Ronda Rousey reveals why she had to retire from UFC in 2016 when she was ‘faster, stronger and more skilled than ever before’

UFC legend Ronda Rousey said she had to retire from the promotion in 2016 because of her history with concussions from her judo career.

Rousey is one of the biggest box-office draws in UFC history and was the first female fighter to sign with the promotion.

Her MMA amateur and professional career started with 15 straight wins, including her first 10 fights ending with her opponent tapping out to an armbar in the first round.

Rousey’s last three title defenses of the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship lasted a combined 64 seconds.

Yet, Rousey’s last two UFC fights ended with her being knocked out by Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, both with vicious strikes to her head.

Rousey's first UFC loss came in November 2015 after a brutal head kick from Holly Holm

Rousey’s first UFC loss came in November 2015 after a brutal head kick from Holly Holm

Rousey has dedicated herself to her family and has mostly stepped away from combat sports

Rousey has dedicated herself to her family and has mostly stepped away from combat sports

‘I’d like people to understand my reasons and motivations behind things,’ Rousey said on Instagram Live. ‘I was forced to leave fighting when I was faster, stronger, more skilled and had a better understanding of the art than ever before. It was a really hard decision to understand, one that my body made for me.’

‘I think there was just so much to (the loss against Holm) that I couldn’t talk about it in the form of an interview or article or anything like that, or there would be several filters between my words and people reading it,’ Rousey continued.

‘So much had to do with having so many concussions when I was in judo before I even got into MMA,’ Rousey added. ‘I couldn’t talk about it at all when I was doing MMA because it would literally put a target on my head and I might not have been allowed to compete any farther.’

After Rousey retired from the UFC, she signed with the WWE and was cleared for the company’s in-ring action.

Rousey's last fight in the UFC lasted less than one minute in a TKO loss to Amanda Nunes

Rousey’s last fight in the UFC lasted less than one minute in a TKO loss to Amanda Nunes

Rousey took bumps on the canvas despite professional wrestling veering into sports entertainment.

While with WWE, she competed in the first women’s match to headline WrestleMania, in a three-way bout also featuring Charlotte Flair, daughter of legendary professional wrestler Ric Flair, and Becky Lynch.

Lynch won the triple-threat contest in one of Rousey’s only pinfall loses in her time with WWE.

Rousey’s last match with WWE took place last summer against fellow former MMA competitor Shayna Bazsler.

Related Posts

Cat Deeley has finally revealed why she decided to divorce her husband Patrick: “You have no idea what I’ve endured over the past 10 years.”

Cat Deeley Finally Opens Up About Her Divorce from Husband Patrick Cat Deeley, the beloved television presenter and model, has recently shared the emotional reasons behind her…

Police say they’ll move “as quickly as possible” after new, troubling details surfaced about the L3168 Gibstown crash that shattered the community 😢👇💔

The five young people who died in a two-vehicle car crash in Ireland have been named by police. The fatal collision happened on the L3168 at Gibstown,…

HEARTBREAKING: Martin & Shirlie Kemp BREAK SILENCE With Emotional Announcement About Daughter Harley Moon.k

Martin and Shirlie Kemp delight fans with adorable birthday tribute to rarely-seen daughter ‘Beauty doesn’t fall far from the tree’ Martin and Shirlie Kemp have issued a…

Joanna Lumley UNDER FIRE “Our Small Nation CANN0T Feed Millions!!” — Fans SH0CKED as National Treasure Faces Backlash Over Migration Remarks!

For half a century, Dame Joanna Lumley has been one of Britain’s most cherished figures — a woman synonymous with elegance, compassion, and the kind of quiet strength that…

GB News host Pɑtrick Christys hɑs detonɑted ɑ politicɑl firestorm ɑfter declɑring it’s now “when, not if” the Prime Minister is finɑlly pushed out ɑs Lɑbour leɑder. His blunt prediction hɑs sent Westminster into meltdown ɑnd triggered ɑ frenzy of speculɑtion ɑbout how close the end reɑlly is. The rumblings ɑre growing louder — ɑnd the pressure is unmistɑkɑble.

GB News airs humiliating 𝘒𝘦𝘪𝘳𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳 blow as PM set to be replaced: ‘When, not if’ GB News host Patrick Christys said it is now “when, not if”…

BRITONS TAKE ACTION! New Frɑnce Footɑge Spɑrks Migrɑtion Firestorm ɑcross the Chɑnnel When ministers won’t ɑct, the public steps in — ɑnd the drɑmɑtic new clips ɑre igniting ɑ nɑtionwide debɑte overnight.

British vigilantes slash small migrant boats on French coastline Britons have been filming themselves travelling to beaches in France and ‘destroying’ small boats – gaining thousands of…