Ronda Rousey Blasts Joe Rogan and MMA Media: “They’re Jerks”
Disappointment in Former Allies
Former UFC champion Ronda Rousey has expressed her disappointment with figures like Joe Rogan and other individuals within the MMA media. As she promotes her autobiography “Our Fight,” Rousey discusses the concussion issues that contributed to her notable loss to Holly Holm, marking the beginning of the end of her MMA career. Rousey ended her UFC and MMA stint with two brutal knockout losses, which garnered significant criticism and scrutiny from fans, UFC colleagues, and the media alike.
Betrayal After Loss
While appearing on The Chris Cuomo Project, Rousey opened up about the aftermath of her losses. “It was really disappointing to see how quickly everyone turned against me and how people like Joe Rogan, who cried in the ring over the honor of officiating my matches, people I considered friends in the media, so quickly turned against me,” Rousey shared. She added, “I’m also grateful for it in a way because it forced me to separate others’ perception of me from my own perception of myself, which I realized had really become intertwined when you get that stream of love and support from people, it’s like you’re love-bombed by the world.”
The Burden of Celebrity Life
Rousey commented on her dislike for the celebrity lifestyle. “I don’t like being a paparazzi celebrity. I hate it. I don’t want to be so famous that I can’t have a normal life. I pursued that kind of lifestyle because I felt that’s what I was supposed to do. Being exposed to that forced me to realize that it’s not real love. It’s fake. They don’t actually know me, they don’t actually love me, they don’t actually hate me, it’s a reflection of themselves and what they are going through and what I represent to them,” she explained.
MMA Media’s Cold Shoulder
Despite her rise to stardom and her role in popularizing women’s MMA, Rousey’s setbacks were met with harsh criticism rather than support. “MMA media hates me, that’s okay,” Rousey laughed. “Not a single person has called me or anything like that. They’ve all just said that I’m making excuses, lying, exaggerating, or not giving credit where it’s due. No, I have not.” She added, “I’m not waiting for [the call], and I understand that they are a bunch of jerks. That’s what I understand. I get it: ‘F**k you.’ I would anyway prefer not to have such fake friendships in my life. I would rather these people show themselves and that I don’t leave myself open to them. I’d rather cleanse myself of all these fake, superficial relationships than keep them.”
TRENDING
“It was really disappointing to see how quickly everyone turned against me and how people like Joe Rogan, who cried in the ring over the honor of officiating my matches, people I considered friends in the media, so quickly turned against me.” — Ronda Rousey
“I don’t like being a paparazzi celebrity. I hate it. I don’t want to be so famous that I can’t have a normal life.” — Ronda Rousey
“MMA media hates me, that’s okay. Not a single person has called me or anything like that. They’ve all just said that I’m making excuses, lying, exaggerating, or not giving credit where it’s due. No, I have not.” — Ronda Rousey
“I’m not waiting for [the call], and I understand that they are a bunch of jerks. That’s what I understand. I get it: ‘F**k you.’ I would anyway prefer not to have such fake friendships in my life.” — Ronda Rousey
