I’m just going to come right out with it.
Ronda Rousey is one badass mama-jamma. Both as an athlete and a female, I have developed a deep admiration for this gifted, one-of-a-kind fighter.
This has been a wonderful summer for female athletes. More than halfway through the summer sport season, the most exciting news has involved female athletes: Serena Williams, who took the French Open and Wimbledon; the U.S. Women’s Soccer team with its victory in Canada; topped off by the in-her-prime fighting Rousey.
Now, being that I’m an honest Benchwarmer, I’ll admit that I’m not usually a fan of the UFC, and only make a point to watch the fights at social events. However, I pay attention enough (from my place on the pine) to know that Rousey has become a dominant fighter and borderline legend in the UFC Octagon.
So it was at a social event last weekend that I had the pleasure of witnessing Rousey knock out Brazilian opponent, Bethe Correia, in a thrilling 34-second fight. Her previous fights have been 14 seconds; 16 seconds; and 1 minute, 6 seconds. Like everyone else, I watched the pre-fight video footage and heard the classless insults Correia threw at Rousey, most of which were delivered (cowardly) in Portuguese.
Correia “The Pitbull” came across to me as one of those “all bark, no bite” types that you want to punch just to see if they will actually punch you back. The Brazilian even had the figurative “cajones” to issue a personal insult against Rousey, definitely intended to stir up memories of her father’s tragic and unexpected suicide. Let this be a lesson Correia: Don’t mess with family. But as far as Rousey is concerned, the matter is settled and she feels that she made her point with Correia.
At 28, Rousey is mostly regarded as one of the world’s most supreme athletes. With a 12-0 record, Rousey is a bantamweight champion and former Olympic bronze medalist in judo; this year she also took home the Female Athlete of the Year title. The intense fighter made a name for herself as a judo champion who won her first eight fights performing a move known as “juji gatame.” This is a type of armbar designed to hyperextend the opponent’s elbow, while simultaneously stretching and tearing ligaments: Even more impressive than her ability to perform this move is the fact that Rousey doesn’t shy away from her ability to inflict harm.
What makes Rousey so intimidating is her pedigree—an Olympic medalist who succumbed to the rigorous training methods of her mother at an early age. Articles report that Rousey’s mother used to wake her up with an arm bar type move. Rousey developed her skills in a number of mixed martial arts domains. Her grappling skill, unparalleled judo talent, boxing training, and quick hands make her a fearsome competitor in the Octagon. It’s a wonder anyone has been able to last more than one minute in the cage with her. Aside from her physical skill, it’s her demeanor that adds to her intense composure as a fighter.
Browsing through videos of her fights, I’m fairly certain that looking “nervous” is not a part of Rousey’s facial expressions. But rather than beat on her chest and shoot snooty glares at her opponent, Rousey fixes each of her opponents with a calm, yet menacing glare. The confidence is apparent on her face and in her stance.
Yet despite all these accolades, there are those who still think it’s appropriate to argue that she cannot be regarded as one of the most dominant athletes. And this time I’ll give the benefit of the doubt … maybe it’s a mix-up of words.
Hands down, Rousey should be regarded as ONE of the greatest fighters (apparently some made the mistake of labeling her as the BEST fighter ever, so I will clear it up now) to have stepped in the Octagon—all media promoting and gender labels aside. Even though her career as a UFC fighter is just three years deep, and many are anticipating her stardom will be short lived, those who question Rousey need to watch her fight more closely. She is explosive to watch; her quick-twitch muscles are on another level. And yes, Rousey was born with a pedigree and instincts that money and training can’t buy. But why should those things inhibit her from being labeled as one of the greatest fighters in history? Having those inborn traits doesn’t make her any less talented as a fighter. If all else fails, look at the evidence: No one has been able to touch Rousey, let alone last more than a minute with her in the cage. And it would take just one rematch with Cris Cyborg for Rousey to cement her way into ultimate fighting greatness. A Bleacher Report article argued that Rousey’s success will be short lived, but I see the gleam in her eye and know she is just getting started.
Rousey is blazing a trail in the UFC, sparking interest in women’s fighting that has built momentum in the last decade. She’s strong, she’s fierce, and she’s funny—and all the haters and the noise are making her punches fall that much harder.
But what do I know? I’m just a Benchwarmer, and Ronda Rousey is the reigning UFC champion.
Kristina Sewell can be contacted through the editor at scone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Aug 6-13, 2015.