Ronda Rousey Opens Up About Permanent Injury, Rules Out MMA Return
Ronda Rousey, an icon in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA), has officially dismissed any speculation about her return to the sport that catapulted her to global stardom. Her decision is rooted in a distressing reality: irreversible neurological damage. In recent revelations, Rousey has shared profound insights into the severe toll that years of combat sports and other physical activities have taken on her neurological health.
As Rousey stated unequivocally, "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. I just can't. You just get to a level where the neurological injuries you take accumulate over time. They don't get better." These candid words offer a stark glimpse into the latent dangers that professional fighters often face.
A Storied Career Comes to an Early End
Rousey stepped away from the MMA scene in 2016 following back-to-back knockout losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes. Prior to these losses, she had rapidly ascended from regional competitions to more prominent platforms like Strikeforce and eventually the UFC, where she became a household name and mainstream star. Her influence was so profound that she even compelled UFC President Dana White to reconsider his stance on women's participation in the UFC.
However, the realities behind her departure were far grimmer than most fans could have imagined. "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," Rousey revealed.
A Lifetime of Accumulated Damage
The roots of Rousey's neurological issues extend far back into 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 explained. This early exposure to repetitive head trauma laid the groundwork for the severe symptoms she would experience later in life.
The culture surrounding combat sports often discourages athletes from acknowledging their vulnerabilities. As Rousey elaborated, "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." This pervasive silence only exacerbates the long-term impact of these injuries.
The Wrestling with Reality
Beyond her achievements in the octagon, Rousey is also a former Olympic bronze medalist in judo. Yet, her accolades came at a monumental cost. "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 and more," Rousey disclosed.
Her story underscores a significant concern about athlete health and safety in high-contact sports where concussions are a prevalent risk. Rousey's experiences draw attention to the need for better concussion management and more robust support systems in these sports. By speaking candidly about her struggles, she opens a critical discourse on the subject, highlighting the invisible battles many athletes endure.
Ronda Rousey's decision to walk away from MMA is a poignant reminder of the cost of glory in combat sports. Her commitment to raising awareness about the hidden dangers of repeated head trauma serves as a clarion call for change. The sport, its governing bodies, and its fans would do well to heed her warnings and strive towards a safer future for all athletes involved. As Rousey herself made clear, her return to the octagon is not just improbable but impossible: "It's not happening."