Ronda Rousey walked away from MMA with a very different feeling than the one that followed her final UFC appearance nearly a decade ago.
The former UFC women’s bantamweight champion returned Saturday night for one last fight against Gina Carano in the main event of MVP MMA’s debut card on Netflix. The ending looked familiar. Rousey secured an armbar just 17 seconds into the fight and immediately felt a sense of relief she had been chasing for years. Rousey said during the post-fight press conference.
“It’s completely just changed my relationship with the sport,”
“I feel like a ghost was banished, and it’s just lifted a weight off me that I didn’t realize I was still carrying in a way. This is exactly what I needed. And that was closure.”
A Different Ending Than Her UFC Exit
Rousey’s departure from MMA had long been tied to the painful losses that ended her UFC run.
After dominating the sport and becoming one of MMA’s biggest crossover stars, Rousey lost her title to Holly Holm in 2015. The knockout loss stunned the MMA world and changed the course of her career. She largely stepped away from public appearances afterward and avoided discussing the defeat.
Her return fight against Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 only deepened the frustration surrounding her exit. Nunes stopped Rousey quickly, and the former champion disappeared from the sport soon after.
Rousey later transitioned into acting and professional wrestling with WWE. Even though she never formally announced her retirement from MMA, she rarely spoke about the sport publicly.
Saturday’s performance gave her a chance to leave on her own terms.
No Interest In Another Comeback
Despite the dominant finish against Carano, Rousey made it clear she is not planning another fight.
The 39-year-old said her focus is now on family life rather than continuing her combat sports career.
“I thinking like two more babies, but, oh God, that’s the thing that sucks: I’m just so good at everything,”
Rousey admitted the experience reminded her how much she once loved competing. At the same time, she feels more comfortable stepping away now than she did after her UFC losses.
“I’m just – I’m so glad that I did this. But I’m also ready to move on and now without any doubts. Now I can move on and know that this is the right time, and I’m just so ready for what’s next.”