Ronda Rousey talks comeback, proclaims herself as “greatest of all time”
It would be hard to erect a Mount Rushmore of women’s MMA without Ronda Rousey, as she pioneered the sport for women and became one of the greatest stars and champions we’ve seen in the sport. She remained unbeaten between 2011 and 2015, and rose to super stardom as UFC champion between 2013 and 2015. She did a lot for MMA, especially women’s MMA, as it’s not certain we’d be seeing women in the UFC if it weren’t for her.
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Despite ending her career on a painful 0-2 run with two brutal KO losses, Rousey continuously gets asked about returning.
“There’s not a day that goes by people aren’t telling me to fight,” Rousey said on her YouTube channel. “I have to try and think of it as, would I rather be the greatest of all time, or have everybody think I’m the greatest of all time? It used to be so important to me to have both. But now it’s got to the point where I don’t want to sacrifice myself and my family to prove that anymore to a bunch of people that don’t give a sh*t about me.
“I know, and the people who love me know. It’s no longer a priority in my life. All the people that tell you, ‘Come on, fight again, do this again,’ they would never do that for me.”
Rousey also claimed that she doesn’t need to prove herself as the greatest of all time, as she already knows that she is.
“It’s hard when everyone around you, the value they have for you is how you fight, and how they see you is how you fight, and the only thing they think you have to offer is how you fight,” Rousey explained. “It was actually my husband that taught me I’m so much more than just a fighter. I don’t have to fight myself into the ground to prove that I’m the greatest of all time when I already know that I am.”
That claim is soemwhat shrouded in scepticism, as arguments could be made for several other women being the greatest. Holly Holm shocked the world and captured Rousey’s title in November 2015, and could lay claim to the title of “greatest”. Cris “Cyborg” Justinho has enjoyed a similar, yet longer unbeaten run at women’s featherweight, and is seen by many as the greatest female fighter of all time. Amanda Nunes has defeated all former women’s UFC champions, including Rousey, and holds two titles in two divisions. As of now, Nunes has the strongest claim to being the greatest of all time in women’s MMA.
That title is subjective, however. What one person perceives as the greatest achievement may not necessarily be an opinion shared by others.
