We've all heard that some humility can take us far in life. That word, however, definitely does not apply to mixed martial artist Ronda Rousey. Rousey is best known for being the first woman to sign with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and earning the title of the women's bantamweight champ. "Rowdy" kept a clean winning streak of 12-0 up until Saturday, November 14th when she finally lost her title to former professional boxer Holly Holm aka "The Preacher's Daughter" at UFC 193.
Although Holm's streak was 9-0, her flawless record didn't convince many people that she'd be able to defeat Rousey. However, when the time came Holm knocked out Rousey with a brutal head kick in the second round. Honestly, I don't know why people are so shocked. After reviewing the two fighter's stats I would've easily put money down on Holm purely based off her 70 percent KO record. Although, Rousey's 75 percent submission record is hard to neglect.
Interestingly enough, Ronda actually predicted Holly's method of how she'd attempt to knock Rousey out and yet, she still managed to get knocked out exactly how she guessed! If you watch this interview Ronda had with Jimmy Fallon you can hear how she managed to jinx herself and view how confident--though I prefer the term conceited--she feels about the upcoming match against Holm. Although Rousey says Holm is undoubtedly going to lose she does mention that Holm is a great athlete and essentially her biggest threat. However, Ronda's "kind" attitude was put to rest once Holly put her fist on Ronda's face.
It's not nearly as bad as it sounds if you watch this video from Ronda's Instagram page. Judging by her caption though, the matter was indeed serious to her. From watching the clip it's clear that Holly did in fact touch her fist to Ronda's face, after Ronda got up in her face and clenched her arms directly on Holly's chest. Considering how Ronda presents herself in the video mind and body, I'd honestly have to say a playful fist touch to the head was the right reaction from Holly.
After reading this Yahoo article on Holm winning the championship title, I have no doubt that she embodies what all great fighters do. That is, the utmost respect for her opponents, modesty, and immense fighting skills. Even after all the nasty remarks Rousey expressed towards her, Holm gracefully stated, "I think a rematch makes sense for sure. I’ve been on the losing side of a fight and I wanted the rematch, I wanted to avenge my loss. With a champion like Ronda – who has gone out of her way, above and beyond, to do great things – absolutely she deserves a rematch."
I specifically enjoyed reading the following line Holm stated in an interview, "[Ronda's] been the most dominant athlete. So yeah, there were days in the gym, I didn’t perform well, sat in my car, upset and I cried." This honest answer portrays Holm's humility because she's not afraid to admit that this match had her break down in tears more than once. If anything, this image doesn't make her any less of a tough fighter, it makes her a strong one.
The last quote I want to point out from the article is, "Holm says she always like to say 'if I win' rather than 'when I win.' She thinks speaking in definitive is a recipe for disaster. She’d rather be open-minded about her possibilities rather than pumping herself up with potential delusions of grandeur." Enough said.
Going back to my original point of Ronda not exactly being so humble, I like to think of Rousey as the embodiment of the type of person who allows their new found fame to get to their head. Since earning her debut in UFC in 2013 Rousey has risen to stardom as one of the greatest – if not the greatest – female athletes of all time. Of course, I don't disagree with this statement as I myself have always viewed Ronda as a total bad ass.
However, just because you're the primary female face for UFC doesn't mean you should be immodest. I respect Rousey's skill and her passion, but not her icy personality judging by how she portrays herself in interviews. Not at all saying Rousey shouldn't be respected, as she did pave the way for women to compete in UFC. I totally understand that as a fighter you have to have an intimidating persona, but humility won't take away from one's pride.
