Ronda Rousey reveals her health condition and whether she will ever fight in the UFC again

Ronda Rousey explains why she will never fight in the UFC again

In her heyday, Ronda Rousey was one of the most respected competitors in the world.

Blessed with outstanding judo skills, a fearsome armbar and a captivating personality, the American was a huge hit with audiences and pioneered women's MMA into a new era.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. On November 15, 2015, the combat sports world stood still when the former Olympian suffered a horrific knockout loss to Holly Holm via head kick in front of a raucous crowd of 56,214 at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia.

The loss destroyed Rousey's aura and she spent the following year outside the cage.

WOW: Alex Pereira speculates that Israel Adesanya may have sustained an injury during the fight against Dricus Du Plessis

When the fighter returned, she was just a shadow of her former self and lost in the first minute of her fight against Amanda Nunes.

In the years that followed, she repeatedly toyed with the idea of ​​a comeback. But now she seems to have accepted that she will never be in the Octagon again.

In an interview with the Insight podcast, she said: “Every few years… the same rumor comes up.

“It's nice to feel missed, I guess. But that's not happening. I'm not neurologically fit enough to compete at the highest level anymore. I just can't.

“You just reach a stage where the neurological damage you suffer accumulates over time. It doesn't get better.”

Ronda Rousey struggled with concussions

During a recent media tour to promote her new autobiography, Our Fight, the former UFC champion explained that she suffered from concussions from her childhood through her time in the world's premier mixed martial arts organization.

But even after her retirement from the sport, she wanted to keep it a secret so as not to ruin her career in the WWE.

She explained: “When I started MMA, I had already suffered dozens of concussions from training. I didn't even have a break. So that was about a decade of having concussion symptoms more often than usual.

“When I started MMA, I played a no-fault game. Then it got to the point where I was fighting more than anyone else. I had more non-fighting commitments than anyone else, and it got easier and easier punches started hurting me more and more.

“I got to the point where I couldn't take a shot without getting dizzy, without getting symptoms of a concussion. It just got to the point where it wasn't safe for me to fight anymore. I just couldn't keep fighting at that higher level.”

My goodness: Fans surprised as MMA legend reveals paycheck from UFC 9 in 1996

Related topics