There are some big names in the UFC, people that have made some impressive moves and have shown the world how great they are at what they do. When you’re checking the UFC fight odds though, there are some names that you may not see anymore. These names are still important to remember though because of the huge imprint they made on the UFC.
One example of one of these people is Ronda Rousey, the very first female UFC Champion. Perhaps you’ve heard of her. If you haven’t let us enlighten you! Here’s everything you need to know about the first female UFC champion, Ronda Rousey.
Early Beginnings
We all have to start somewhere, and Ronda Rousey didn’t start out her life as a UFC household name. Actually, she did have quite successful beginnings in the sports world, joining the United States Olympic judo team at only 15 years old. She then ended up getting the Number 1 ranking for the half middleweight division for women at just 16 years old, becoming the youngest American to gain such a title. In 2004, she also ended up winning a gold medal at the World Junior and Pan American Judo Championships.
She then won medals in the Olympics, coming second in a tournament in 2007 and earning the bronze medal in 2008. She ended up retiring from her judo career at just 21 years old.
Her First Win
After just seven months of rigorous training after a previous attempt at the Olympics and time without a job, she won her first professional MMA match. Not only did she win, but she managed to do so in an impressive 25 seconds. If that doesn’t show you her star power, then we don’t know what will. Of course, she has plenty more wins under her belt during her time in the UFC.
Title Win
By the time she had her fifth MMA fight, she had managed to win the Strikeforce bantamweight title. She became quite well known for her fierce attitude and confidence in a fight. Trust us – you would not want to be going up against Ronda Rousey in a fight.
A Big Transition
Up until 2012, Rousey had been working for a fighting league known as Strikeforce. Unfortunately, this league ended up shutting down in 2013. Rousey was a little stuck, but not for long. The UFC noticed her talent and brought her into their midst. She then ended up having a glorious win in her very first UFC fight, completely obliterating her competition Liz Carmouche in the fight. She helped the popularity of the UFC to skyrocket and even started hosting the show The Ultimate Fighter.
The End of an Era
Ronda Rousey went undefeated for quite some time, but it was obvious that her reign over the UFC would eventually have to come to a close. In November 2015, Rousey experienced a devastating loss to Holly Holm, being knocked out in just the second round. It was quite the historic moment for many UFC fans who had seen her win so many matches. Then, at the end of 2016, Rousey went up against the champion of the time Amanda Nunes, but she again ended up losing. It was a match that took a mere 48 seconds. It was a devastating loss for Rousey.
Hall of Fame
She entered the hall of fame in 2018, becoming the very first female to do so. Quite impressive!
WWE
After entering the Hall of Fame, Rousey announced in 2018 that she was leaving the UFC to instead join the WWE. Fans were stunned when watching Rousey entering the ring during the Royal Rumble match in 2018 for the women’s division. She had a lot of success in the WWE, but ultimately ended up breaking her hand during a match with Becky Lynch in April 2019, signaling the end of her WWE career.
