Everyone knew the Holly Holm defeat was devastating for Ronda Rousey. Not everyone knew just how bad things got. Today, Rousey went on the Ellen Show in one of her first appearances since her loss to the new champion, and went into detail on just how much the defeat hurt. Unfortunately, Rousey felt suicidal.
“I was in the medical room, and I was down in the corner,” Rousey said through tears. “I was sitting in the corner and I was like ‘what am I anymore if I’m not this?’ I was literally sitting there thinking about killing myself, and in the exact second where I’m [thinking] ‘I’m nothing, what do I do anymore?’ and no one gives a shit about me, and to be honest I looked up and saw my man Travis, and I thought I need to have his babies, I need to stay alive.
“I was at my lowest for sure. I don’t know if I would have made it without him.”
The audience applauded, and indeed Rousey deserves credit for her honesty in such a public forum. As someone who’s own father committed suicide, one imagines the former champion knows the impact of such a decision. Indeed, in the lead up to her fight at UFC 190, after her opponent Bethe Correia made an ill comment about suicide, Rousey vowed revenge.
Correia at the time claimed that Rousey would be so devastated by a loss, that the challenger hoped Rousey wouldn’t take her own life. Those comments made for uncomfortable reading at the time, and do so even more now.
Rousey has always been an emotional person, and an emotional fighter, often to the point of criticism. In her appearances on The Ultimate Fighter, Rousey often went to tears in fits of frustration or emotion. A loss to anyone, not just Holm, was guaranteed to bring her a tough time.
During the Ellen Show, Rousey made it clear that she wanted the rematch with Holm to put things right. This is where fans of the star should begin to worry. Rousey may be a controversial figure, and one often maligned by MMA fans, but her inability to accept defeat doesn’t provide much confidence if it were to happen again.
Their first bout wasn’t just a loss for Rousey, it was an easy victory for Holly Holm. Ronda’s striking, whether stemming from overconfidence or from naivety was simply no match for Holm, a former professional boxing champion.
Ronda was repeatedly drilled with a straight left to the jaw, and showed a lack of fundamentals that one simply cannot attain in a years worth of training. Particularly if that year is spent filming movies. If the first loss was devastating enough to bring genuine contemplation of suicide, then perhaps Rousey’s circle should very genuinely consider the ramifications if she were to lose to Holm again.
Holm is currently set to face Miesha Tate (another long time rival of Rousey’s) at in the co-main event of UFC 197. Providing Holm wins that fight, then Rousey made it clear that she definitely intends to be the one to beat her.
“I really do believe I’m still undefeated,” Rousey said. “Because being defeated is a choice. Everyone has losses in their life, but I choose to always be undefeated.
“I’m going to beat her and make everything right again.”
