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Why Ronda Rousey's return matters
It seems strange that the UFC is marketing its next pay-per-view with the tagline, “Fear the Return.”
Ronda Rousey will end a 13-and-half month absence from the Octagon on Dec. 30 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas when she challenges Amanda Nunes for the women’s bantamweight title in the main event of UFC 207.
Given Rousey’s significance, not only in UFC history but in mixed martial arts history, it seems it would make more sense if it were a “Celebrate the Return” kind of thing.
It’s undeniably far better for the sport for Rousey to be active and involved than sitting silently on the sidelines. In winning her first 12 professional fights before a stunning, one-sided loss to Holly Holm on Nov. 13, 2015, in Melbourne, Australia, Rousey became far more than one of MMA’s greatest fighters.
She became a sports and cultural icon.
Rousey transcended her sport, and not simply because her extraordinary athleticism and exceptional grappling skills made her a one-of-a-kind fighter.
She spoke to people and touched them at their core in a way a person who beats folks up for a living usually never could do.
At one of her book signings for her best-selling autobiography, an obese young man who said he’d been mocked most of his life because of his weight stood in a lengthy line, quivering, so giddy to meet his idol.
Rousey had overcome so much, he said, that it inspired him to improve his life. He stood in a long line by himself because he wanted to thank her.
Her absence in the Octagon has been missed, and by more than just the typical fight crowd. There are people who purchase her pay-per-views who don’t buy any other fights, and aren’t interested in MMA in particular or fighting in general.
Rousey has been conspicuously silent since her last fight. Prior to that bout, she said she planned to take an extended break because her schedule had been so frenetic that she needed a good vacation, but no one imagined she’d be sidelined for more than a year.
Her voice was noticeably missing during the presidential campaign when then-Republican nominee Donald Trump was fighting off a controversy regarding his relationship with women.
It would seem certain that Rousey would speak out following the first presidential debate, when Trump was accused of calling former Miss Universe Alicia Machado “Miss Piggy,” and other less-than-flattering names.
One of Rousey’s signature causes has been fighting body-shaming issues, and her stance won her scores of fans. She was, however, notably silent since her loss.
Rousey has long been a brilliant promoter, and did as much to push her career as did the UFC’s marketing team. They worked together to make her a world-wide figure.
The bully pulpit she gained from her success allowed her to take a stand on causes she was passionate about.
It’s a different Rousey, though, who is on the verge of a return to action. She’s largely been out of the media other than the incessant promos the UFC plays on its broadcasts.
She appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” on Nov. 1 where she hinted at retirement.
“This is definitely one of my last fights,” Rousey said. “Everyone better watch, because the show isn’t going to be around forever.”
She was on “Conan” last week. And she may also make a return to “The Jimmy Kimmel Show.”
But it’s not wall-to-wall Rousey like it’s been before most of her prior fights.
If it’s simply her choice, and she’d rather not be burdened by the circus act that her public appearances have become, it’s understandable, albeit disappointing. She presented an interesting perspective and a unique voice that added much to the conversation, about MMA and issues outside of that realm.
Rousey used her time off to reassess her priorities, and concluded that being a public figure isn’t high on that list.
“I’ve done a lot of learning in this last year and I’ve learned that the views I get and the money I make really doesn’t mean anything for me and my happiness,” Rousey said last week during her recent ‘Conan’ appearance.
Her loss touched her in a way that it doesn’t affect most. A short while after the fight, she told DeGeneres that she had contemplated suicide.
“In the medical room, I was down in the corner, I was sitting in the corner and I was like,‘What am I anymore if I’m not this?’ ” she told DeGeneres. “And I was literally sitting there and thinking about killing myself in that exact second: ‘I’m nothing. Like what do I do anymore? And no one gives a [expletive] about me any more without this.’ ”
That such a thought entered her mind is sadly troubling, particularly since her father took his own life.
But she is wrong about that, as the hoopla over her return indicates. The loss didn’t decrease interest in her even a little, as evidenced by the crescendo of noise when she unexpectedly made a brief promotional appearance at the UFC 205 weigh-in in New York last month.
She’s the rare fighter who doesn’t need to fight to make a living. She’s become wealthy from fighting and her other exploits, such as acting, endorsements, modeling and her book.
It’s difficult, though, to know her motivation for her return. Part of it undoubtedly has to do with her legendary competitiveness. It can’t be easy for a world-class athlete like Rousey who has known almost nothing but success to walk away after a loss like the one she suffered to Holm.
There are, though, few other little clues about her mind-set post-Holm, but what we know for certain is that Ronda 2.0 is going to be vastly different than what we’ve become accustomed to.
However she handles this next phase of her career, here’s to hoping that her willingness to speak out on issues dear to her heart and advancing charitable causes doesn’t change.
Not many of us are able to make a difference on a widespread scale like Rousey could.
She’s made her sport better and she’s helped improve the lot of her peers. Much needs to be done still, but MMA fighters have it better because of what Rousey did to grow the sport.
There is no reason to fear the return of a person who has done so much to advance her sport. It’s more like time to celebrate.
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Originally Posted by jjgold
