Ronda Rousey : The Fallen Idol

 

Sometimes we have to admire our idols, but not worship them, because when they fall or disappoint us, it's too hard to keep them up on the pedestal we put on them. 

Ronda " Rowdy" Rousey! Who took the Nickname as a tribute to the late "Rowdy" Roddey  Piper. She was considered the best fighter of all time. 

    Ronda's rise to the top of the UFC should be looked at with amazement. Something that is admired by other young female UFC fighters. From being an Olympic Judo Fighter to becoming the first female UFC fighter in the new division, to becoming the highest-paid fighter.  Having 4 of her matches was the main event of a UFC PPV ( UFC 175, 182,184, &190). 

Their face-off at the the press conference at UFC 193, was the most talked-about moment.

    She was in the same category as Floyd Mayweather and Mike Tyson, which some people have found skeptical as she was only good in UFC. She was in movies, TV shows, and advertisements, and had sponsors fighting for her attention for their brand.  She was even in talks to play the main lead in the remake of the 1989's Roadhouse  (Before Jake Gyllenhaal, got the part). She was on top of the world. But She was also looking to fight in the men's lightweight division. 

    Some people, looked at it as too much ambition, while others said they could see it happening. But there was nothing Ronda Couldn't do, and so many people in camp said she could be in the same field as the male fighters. She was on top of the world, and people really hyped her up on that. Nothing couldn't stop her/ 

The Kick that shocked The UFC world, leading to Holly Home's winning the UFC Women's Championship. Nothing was the same for Ronda. 

     But like all good things, it has to come to an end, and not everything will be smooth sailing. UFC 193, was the foreshadowing that some people may have seen after her last fight against Bethe Correia, Everyone thought she was unstoppable and that Ronda was the best fighter. But her shocking defeat from Holly Homes was the beginning of the end. Her Action after the fight changed everything about her. 

    From denying interviews about her loss to going on the Ellen Show, and talking about her ending her life after the match. She changed right in front of everyone's eyes. She didn't lose gracefully, but she discredited Holly any chance she got. She was a sore loser to a degree of no return. She ran away and had to wait 2 years to return to the UFC, with UFC 207 when she fought Amanda Nunes 

It was supposed to be a Major comeback for Ronda and her opponent was no match for her. 

    The Entire event during the training session and Interviews was more focused on Ronda and only her. No one else mattered and she was the main star. Years after he defeated everyone though she would come back into the octagon stronger. Her ego was inflated beyond proportion. She talked a big game about how she would not be an easy fighter for Amanda, and she could beat anyone who was in her way.   

    But if there's one thing we have to learn from her story, never tempt Fate, she will accept your challenge. If she thought her match against Amanda was going to be an easy comeback, Karma would give her a repeat for the lesson, she still didn't learn.

This poster focused more on her return than the actual PPV. This poster aged terribly. 

Just like the Holly Homes fight, Ronda was knocked out clean by Amanda in what was considered one of the best knockouts of that evening. Just like that, She was no longer the baddest woman in UFC, she was just a regular fighter who lost 2 matches now, in front of everyone who saw it. Her ego was deflated, and her denial was growing. 

    People who once looked at her as unstoppable and toughest now started to look at her with concern about whether her entire career was only a one-trick pony. It was asked if was fighting people who were not as good in certain fighting skills until she fought against real top-notch fighters. Either way, her entire camp was trying to cover for her, but it was too late. She was officially past her prime. 

The Most shocking defeat in UFC history. Amanda retains her title belt after this knockout, causing Ronda to leave UFC for good. 

    A year later, Ronda would make her big comeback after going into hiding, and it was not in the UFC, but in the most unlikely location. WWE! Her return was to boost up the dying ratings that WWE was in since they were in competition with AEW.  To some wrestling fans, it was a strange action that a fighter did, to UFC fans, it was surprising to see her make a comeback. Either way, she got a huge pop, when she fought in WWE Wrestlemania 31 with The Rock against Triple H & Stephine McMahon. 

Her tribute to Roddey Pipper at the Wrestlemania 31 in 2016, to a wave of cheers. 

    While some people may have liked the ideal move and how WWE was now getting more mainstream press with her as the main champion. Some wrestlers in the back were not so pleased. Also, some hardcore Wrestling fans, thought that she got special treatment from the other wrestlers. The one wrestler that mentioned that the most were Becky Lynch, and how her beef was shown when she mostly just disrespected Wrestling fans by saying " Wrestling is not that important or real", and Just dismissed her own fans as well.

With Charlette Flair, Becky Lynch, and Her, being the Main Event for a huge event By WWE, 
It was the first time in history for the company. 

    Karma and Fate came back to haunt her again during her time at WWE, and Wrestlemania ( the Show of the Immortals), showed that Ronda was not the immortal fighter she once was. It was sad to see her becoming a former shell of herself, and how her ego once again, ruined her reputation. To some of her last bit of diehard fans, it was a very sad downfall, that not only did she alienate her fans, trainers, the media that she thought once loved her, & even the people she worked with. 

    She became so unbearable to work with and how she had everything handed to her, it just wasn't enough. But her losing the title belts was a sharp blow to her morale and her ego. Also most like a flashback to her last UFC matches.  But the loss was brushed aside when WWE introduced the Female Tag Team Championship belts. It seems like this was Ronda's Last chance to fight for the admiration of the fans.

But that night was given to Becky "The Man" Lynch, who became Becky Two Belt. Ending Ronda's 231 Reign as champion. Only for her record to Be broken By Becky Lynch. The irony of it all.

    Wrestlemania 39  Night 2, was the night that the tournament for the new Champions for the female tag team champions. Ronda and her old UFC buddy, Shayna Baszler ( The four horsewomen of UFC). Were the winners of those wonderful belts, cementing her Heelish persona (Whether it was real or not), and it continued her championship reign. They also won the WWE's NXT Women's tag team belts as well. With the growing momentum, it was nonstop for her and Shayna. 

    It was a pretty good comeback, from being on the front cover of DVDs, and voicing in the New Mortal Kombat game as Sonya Blade, to even becoming a triple crown Tag Team Champion, everything was going well. But her mouth kept getting her into trouble and it would continue to be a menace to her even to this day it never stopped to amaze me how much she was given so many chances, only to sink it to no bitter end. 

Night 2 of Wrestlemania 39 was a huge night for Ronda and Shayna, With this win, it was supposed to be the revelation to her character and career at WWE, Boy was she wrong. 

     But as it would happen people were starting to see she was not that great, and was only there to boost ratings, and how her Mic Skills was okay.  People turn on Ronda just as quick as she was cheered. She thought she was unstoppable and people were just haters. But Fate and Karma showed Ronda the harsh truth:  the honeymoon phase was over, and people saw that Ronda was not in the same lane as other female Wrestlers. It was on WWE's Survivor Series, where she lost the tag belt to Liv and Raquel Rodriquez causing Shayna to split from her.

  Then On the episode of Smackdown, she also lost the SD Title belt she won again, to only lose it to Charlette  Flair ending her 83-day reign on Live TV, being buried on TV and for people to laugh at her loss, was the final straw. 

      This domino effect Causes her to turn heel. But she ended up winning WWE Women's Tag Team Belts with a fellow UFC fighter. Trying to get the fans to hate her for her character, but it was too late.  She was booed and jeered by the people that once loved her. She couldn't even handle that. While other wrestlers took it with pride and feed off it, she couldn't handle it. 

Even Becky Lynch had a lot to say with some of the comments Ronda had said after she left WWE.

    It's very sad to see Ronda Spitting out venom, coming up with every excuse from her first loss to Holly Homes, to her "Hard" Time at WWE ( Even though everything was catered to her), to even Dissing Logan Paul on WWE. Even though Logan Paul has improved tremendously as well as working with coaches and working well with everyone backstage.  

    It's said to see her going on every podcast on YouTube to Spotify, seeing her discredit and backbiting everyone who comes across her. Even people who worked with her when she was at the UFC, have noticed she had such a diva-like persona, that was unbearable, to say the least. her legacy is impressive and extraordinary, but her ego and pain have been chipping away at it for so long, that it's almost shocking. 

Her memoir, which talked about her time in UFC and WWE, it's something that is more like a one-sided complaint. 

    She has also released a memoir about her life and even in the book, it showcases something that sounds like a bitter Ex-girlfriend who thinks, everything was her ex's fault, but really it's her. She's even working with Netflix to direct her biofilm. I doubt very seriously if people will take her passion project seriously. The more she opens her mouth, the more excuses come out, and the more people will roll their eyes in disbelief.  

The worst 48 seconds of Ronda's career, Her loss to Holly was the tumbling block in her career and it seemed like her life. 

    In closing, it's very tragic to see someone who has paved the way for female UFC fighters to compete in the sport. She is in the UFC's Hall of Fame and has won ESPN's Top Athlete, and numerous awards, all to be tossed away because of 2 losses, and an okay run in WWE.  But her bruised ego caused her to dismiss talking about her two losses, and her anger and excuses as to why she lost (she Broke her foot on the day of the match, Had a concussion, lost gear, etc).  her story went from a great heroic story to a cautionary tale of ego and bitterness.