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Ronda Rousey reflects on MMA retirement, 'I kept doing it for everybody else'

Ronda Rousey, UFC 207

Former Bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey emerged as one of the UFC's biggest stars during her fighting days, but back-to-back knockout losses in 2016 left her hanging up her gloves for good.

Ronda Rousey's name became synonymous with the UFC during her fighting days, with the California-born fighter becoming the organisation's biggest female star.

A perfect 12-0 record and a championship title on top explains how Rousey cemented her legacy in MMA, but her career quickly turned sour in 2016.

A first career loss came to fellow American Holly Holm in 2015, while her following fight against Amanda Nunes in 2016 also ended with a knockout defeat.

Rousey took the losses particularly badly, and spoke out about feeling suicidal thoughts following the loss of her championship belt.

She has since swapped MMA for WWE, and rarely discussed her retirement from the octagon. But, Rowdy spoke out this week, and suggested she prolonged her career for the sake of pleasing others.

"I think it was difficult to quit both judo and MMA, in that everyone else felt that they wanted more from me," Rousey explained.
"Like, in judo you peak in your mid-20s. I medaled at 21 so I was going to be 25 for the next Olympics.
"Everyone's like, 'Oh, this is it! You're going to be the first to win an Olympic gold!' And I didn't want it anymore, and I couldn't do it for everybody else.
"And I think that's a mistake that I made with MMA, was when I got to that point where I didn't want it anymore, I kept doing it for everybody else."
It's unclear when exactly Rousey lost the desire to compete in the UFC, but the 35-year-old seems to be enjoying herself much more in the wrestling scene.
"I think to be at that top level, you kind of have to be a people pleaser," Rousey added.
"You want to please your coach, you want to please your parents, you want to please everybody watching. And so it's one of the things that makes you excel, but it's one of those things that, it can be an obstacle a lot of times.
"And knowing when is the right time to walk away, it's got to be your decision because not everybody else is going to come to a consensus. And nobody knows what you're actually going through and what it actually takes."

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