Ronda Rousey explains why she was ‘never meant’ to stay undefeated – ‘It was the best thing for the sport’

Of course, her polarizing personality didn’t help matters either.

But according to Rousey, even her downfall served a bigger purpose.

“I think everything happens for a reason — the exact way it was meant to go,” Rousey told Ariel Helwani. “I think I was not meant to win the Olympics, so that I would still have the fire in me to come into MMA and to pave a way for women in the sport. I believe I did not obtain my goal of retiring undefeated because it was the best thing for the sport for me not to leave with my equity.”

“I learned through professional wrestling that a champion retiring with the belt is one of the worst things that could happen to a division,” Rousey continued. “I mean, just look at what happened to the 145-pound division. I think it was meant to go that way so that I would be brought back to MMA — not to just serve myself and my own career but to change the entire landscape of the sport because of this fight.”

It’s certainly an interesting way to frame one of the most dramatic rises — and falls — in MMA history.

Still, regardless of how fans feel about Rousey now, there’s no denying her impact. She helped bring women into the UFC spotlight, became one of the biggest stars the sport has ever seen, and opened doors for countless fighters who came after her.

Now, nearly a decade after walking away, “Rowdy” gets one more chance to shape the narrative.

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