We all know Ronda Rousey well from watching her expertly take down her opponents with her signature armbar. She carved a name for herself in Strikeforce before making UFC President Dana White eat his words that women would never fight in the UFC. But it’s more than her outspoken persona and badassery in the Octagon that makes us huge fans. She overcame a troubled childhood, a stint of homelessness and personal tragedy to become the success story she is today. We take a look at “Rowdy” Ronda’s softer side.
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Xyience Shoot
“Rowdy” Ronda Rousey was born in Southern California in 1987 to AnnMaria De Mars, a former judo champion, and Ron Rousey. She was born with her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck, and doctors worried that she had suffered brain damage from lack of oxygen. She wasn’t able to start speaking coherently until she was six.
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‘Maxim’ Shoot
As a child, her father broke his back in a sledding accident. Doctors subsequently discovered that he had a rare blood disorder that would prevent a full recovery. The prognosis was not good; he would become a paraplegic and die within two years. Ron committed suicide to spare his family from the ordeal. Ronda was eight.
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Ronda and Her Dog Mochi
Her mother helped her channel her anger and frustration by getting her started in judo. Ronda was a natural, and qualified for the women’s Olympic judo team in 2004 when she was just 17. In 2008, she came back to compete in the Beijing Olympics, winning a bronze medal.
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Fan Art
But becoming the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in judo didn’t come with any financial success. On returning to America, she worked bartending jobs in Los Angeles and had a stint living out of her car.
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Fashion Photo Shoot
In 2010, she switched gears to MMA. She made her pro debut in 2011, and quickly made a name for herself and female mixed martial artists as a whole with her larger-than-life personality and trash talking. Luckily, she had the skills to back it up, easily taking all her opponents down by submission with her armbar.
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‘Fighters Only’ Spread
Until then, all of Rousey’s success was in Strikeforce because UFC President Dana White was adamant about not having women in the UFC. But in November 2012, he ate his words when he announced that Rousey was the first woman signed to the MMA organization. She won her debut UFC fight against Liz Carmouche on February 23, 2013, again with an armbar.
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‘Fighters Only’ Spread
White admitted that he was wrong, and Rousey was what he needed to change his mind. “I wouldn’t have done it without Ronda,” he said. “You could line up all the greatest girls on Earth from here to (expletive) Pluto, and she’s the one that when I met her I said, this chick is insanely competitive and just a different animal. And she’s what it took to get women in the UFC.”
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MetroPCS Commercial
On top of her success in the Octagon, she’s added “movie star” to her resume, landing roles in The Expendables 3,Fast & Furious 7, and the movie version of Entourage.
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Training for ‘Expendables 3’
Ultimately, our favorite thing about Ronda is that she’s a badass at heart, and she looks damn good being one.
We all know Ronda Rousey well from watching her expertly take down her opponents with her signature armbar. She carved a name for herself in Strikeforce before making UFC President Dana White eat his words that women would never fight in the UFC. But it’s more than her outspoken persona and badassery in the Octagon that makes us huge fans. She overcame a troubled childhood, a stint of homelessness and personal tragedy to become the success story she is today. We take a look at “Rowdy” Ronda’s softer side.
Xyience Shoot
“Rowdy” Ronda Rousey was born in Southern California in 1987 to AnnMaria De Mars, a former judo champion, and Ron Rousey. She was born with her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck, and doctors worried that she had suffered brain damage from lack of oxygen. She wasn’t able to start speaking coherently until she was six.
'Maxim' Shoot
As a child, her father broke his back in a sledding accident. Doctors subsequently discovered that he had a rare blood disorder that would prevent a full recovery. The prognosis was not good; he would become a paraplegic and die within two years. Ron committed suicide to spare his family from the ordeal. Ronda was eight.
Ronda and Her Dog Mochi
Her mother helped her channel her anger and frustration by getting her started in judo. Ronda was a natural, and qualified for the women’s Olympic judo team in 2004 when she was just 17. In 2008, she came back to compete in the Beijing Olympics, winning a bronze medal.
Fan Art
But becoming the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in judo didn’t come with any financial success. On returning to America, she worked bartending jobs in Los Angeles and had a stint living out of her car.
Fashion Photo Shoot
In 2010, she switched gears to MMA. She made her pro debut in 2011, and quickly made a name for herself and female mixed martial artists as a whole with her larger-than-life personality and trash talking. Luckily, she had the skills to back it up, easily taking all her opponents down by submission with her armbar.
'Fighters Only' Spread
Until then, all of Rousey’s success was in Strikeforce because UFC President Dana White was adamant about not having women in the UFC. But in November 2012, he ate his words when he announced that Rousey was the first woman signed to the MMA organization. She won her debut UFC fight against Liz Carmouche on February 23, 2013, again with an armbar.
'Fighters Only' Spread
White admitted that he was wrong, and Rousey was what he needed to change his mind. “I wouldn’t have done it without Ronda,” he said. “You could line up all the greatest girls on Earth from here to (expletive) Pluto, and she’s the one that when I met her I said, this chick is insanely competitive and just a different animal. And she’s what it took to get women in the UFC.”
MetroPCS Commercial
On top of her success in the Octagon, she’s added “movie star” to her resume, landing roles in The Expendables 3,Fast & Furious 7, and the movie version of Entourage.
Training for 'Expendables 3'
Ultimately, our favorite thing about Ronda is that she’s a badass at heart, and she looks damn good being one.
