Ronda Rousey Breaks Silence on MMA Return and Neurological Issues
Ronda Rousey dismisses return speculation
Ronda Rousey, the trailblazing former UFC champion, has firmly put to rest any speculation about a possible return to mixed martial arts. In her candid revelations, Rousey has outlined her reasons, focusing primarily on her irreversible neurological damage that she has accumulated over years of competing in high-impact sports.
“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,” Rousey stated. “I just can’t. You just get to a level where the neurological injuries you take accumulate over time. They don’t get better.”
Rousey's rapid ascent from regional circuits to becoming a mainstream star in Strikeforce and UFC was nothing short of meteoric. Her influence extended beyond her bouts, even prompting UFC President Dana White to reconsider his stance on women's participation in the UFC.
The unbeatable becomes mortal
However, Rousey's dominion in the octagon met a sudden halt with consecutive knockout losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes. This period marked not only a downturn in her career but also shone a light on her deteriorating neurological health.
“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,” she explained.
A lifetime of concussions
Shockingly, Rousey's battle with concussions dates back to her childhood. “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. 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,” Rousey recalled.
Her transition into MMA continued this troubling trend: “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. 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.”
Despite being a symbol of strength and resilience, Rousey's silence on her condition is reflective of the larger culture in combat sports. “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.
Raising awareness and discussing athlete health
Beyond cementing her legacy as a fighter, Rousey has significantly raised the profile of women's fighting in MMA, ushering in a new era of opportunity and visibility for female athletes. But her recent disclosures bring to the forefront a critical issue: athlete health and safety, particularly around concussion management in contact sports.
Rousey’s decision to openly discuss her neurological issues is a call to action for better concussion management and support systems in sports notorious for head injuries. Her story compels us to think about the often invisible battles that many athletes face, urging a re-evaluation of current practices in handling neurological health.
Her transparency serves as a beacon for athletes suffering in silence and emphasizes the need for meaningful discourse on better support mechanisms. While fans may long for her return, Ronda Rousey's affirmation makes it clear: her days in the octagon are over, allowing her to focus on recovery and raising awareness for important athlete health issues.