When Ronda Rousey burst onto the mixed martial arts (MMA) scene, she revolutionized the sport. Rapidly ascending from the regional circuits to prominent promotions like Strikeforce and then the UFC, her impact on MMA and women's sports is undeniable. Despite her meteoric rise, Rousey recently put an end to speculations about a potential return to the octagon, citing severe and irreversible neurological damage.
Rousey's rise to fame was nothing short of extraordinary, as she quickly became a mainstream star and household name. Her influence was so profound that it led UFC President Dana White to change his stance on women's participation in the UFC. Her career, however, came to an abrupt halt following consecutive knockout losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes in 2016, prompting her to step away from the sport she had significantly elevated.
In a candid revelation, Rousey provided insights into her early departure from MMA. She shared, "It's nice to feel missed, I guess. But it's not happening. I'm not neurologically fit to compete anymore at the highest level. I just can't. You just get to a level where the neurological injuries you take accumulate over time. They don't get better."
The stark reality of her ongoing battle with neurological injuries became evident when she elaborated on her condition: "I got to a point where I couldn't take a jab without getting dazed, without getting concussion symptoms. It just got to a point where it wasn't safe for me to fight anymore. I just couldn't continue to fight at that higher level." Rousey's vulnerability in discussing her health issues highlights the often-masked dangers inherent in contact sports.
Rousey's struggle with concussions began long before her MMA career. Shockingly, she revealed that these issues started when she was just six years old. "I started dealing with it at six years old. I started getting concussions much earlier on in swimming. Two kids doing a backstroke in the other direction crack heads or hit the wall doing the backstroke," she explained. Her introduction to judo at a young age only exacerbated the problem. "I started doing judo at a young age and kept getting concussions regularly and multiple times a year and not being allowed to speak up or say anything about it."
Despite the mounting neurological concerns, Rousey fought on. She entered MMA with a history of untreated concussions, a testament to her endurance and determination. "When I got into MMA, I had already had dozens of concussions that I trained through. Like, not even stopped for. So that was about a decade of having concussion symptoms more often than not," she shared. However, the cumulative damage was unavoidable. She added, "So when I got into MMA, I was playing a game of zero errors. Then it got to the point where I was fighting more often than anybody. I had more outside of fighting responsibilities than anybody, and it just got to be lighter and lighter hits were hurting me more and more and more."
The culture of silence surrounding neurological injuries in contact sports is an issue Rousey passionately addressed. "As a fighter, you're not supposed to show any weakness or talk about things like that or the inevitable neurological decline that comes with taking headshots. A lot of people talk about it as if it's making excuses or weakness," she said. Her willingness to tackle such taboos brings necessary attention to the health risks athletes face.
Rousey's journey from a young judoka to an MMA star, coupled with her vulnerability about neurological health, shines a light on the importance of athlete safety. Her story compels a re-examination of concussion management and support systems in contact sports. By speaking out, Rousey has opened critical discourse on the long-term effects of head injuries, underlined by her assertion that "neurological injuries you take accumulate over time. They don't get better."
As a former Olympic bronze medalist, Rousey's legacy transcends her athletic achievements. She has significantly raised the profile of women's fighting in MMA and has become a pivotal figure in discussions about athlete health and safety. Though she will not return to the octagon, her influence will undoubtedly continue to shape the sport for years to come.