Ronda Rousey contemplated suicide after knockout loss

MANILA, Philippines – Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey admitted that she had thoughts of taking her own life after suffering an excruciating defeat at the hands of Holly Holm 3 months ago. 

Holm dethroned Rousey for the gold-plated strap by knocking out the previously-unbeaten fighter this past November with a left head kick and polished her off with follow-up shots on the ground to compel referee Herb Dean to intervene at the 0:59 mark of round two.

In an interview with Ellen DeGeneres on Tuesday, February 16, Rousey revealed that she contemplated committing suicide following her painful loss.

“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?’ 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 anymore without this,” she stated.

Rousey was highly regarded as the most dominant female athlete in the sport of mixed martial arts prior to losing to Holm, spearheading her prizefighting career with 8 straight triumphs by armbar submission. 

After moving up in the ranks to capture the Strikeforce women’s bantamweight championship, she was hailed as the inaugural UFC bantamweight titleholder in November 2012 when the organization was purchased by the world’s premier MMA promotion. 

Rousey successfully defended the UFC gold 6 times in impressive fashion before dropping it to Holm. 

The 29-year-old native of Santa Monica, California went in-depth of her tough bout with Holm, confiding that she was completely dazed and confused after getting hit repeatedly by the former boxer. 

“I was knocked off my feet the first time I was hit. It’s hard to really know what was going on. With that first hit, I cut open my whole mouth and knocked my teeth loose. It was weird I had no perception. I felt like I couldn’t see. I could see but I couldn’t tell how far my hand was from my face or how far she was from me. I was swinging blindly. I really don’t remember most of it,” she disclosed.

According to Rousey, her boyfriend and fellow UFC fighter Travis Browne helped her to get through her prizefighting run’s lowest moment. 

“I just looked up at him and I was just like I need to have his babies. I need to stay alive,” said Rousey, whose father committed suicide when she was 8 years old.

Rousey was seen in training once again, throwing punches with head trainer Edmond Tarverdyan at the Glendale Fighting Club.

UFC president Dana White says he is expecting Rousey to return to action in November of this year as she is now preoccupied and focused on her acting stint.

White said that Rousey will likely face the winner of the title tilt between Holm and Miesha Tate on March 6 (March 5 in US). – Rappler.com