Ronda Rousey may not be everyone's favorite. Some take issue with things she has said in the past, such as calling herself the greatest fighter of all time, and back-to-back losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes put her MMA record at 14 in a row. Some are clearly critical of the loss. Sports forever.
But when you talk about the fighters who shaped modern mixed martial arts, it's safe to say you can't go into the conversation without mentioning “Rowdy.” This makes Rousey's story perfect for a memoir.
'Our Fight' provides an honest look at Rousey's time as champion
Rousey's latest book, Our Fight: A Memoir, differs from previously published titles due to timing. Unlike her previous releases, Rousey is now past her age as a fighter and wrestler, giving her story a beginning and an ultimate end. But good stories aren't always told correctly. Now the question arises: Will Rousey elaborate on the details in her April release?
Memoirs can distort the truth. They can allow a person to talk about the past through rose-colored glasses. Public figures can give you an opportunity to say that things weren't actually as bad as you thought, or that the unfortunate event that befell you was actually someone else's fault. Ronda Rousey's book does not attempt anything like this.
In “Our Fight,” readers are drawn into the unfiltered mindset of one of the most influential fighters in MMA. Rousey is not afraid to talk about the failures and low points of his career. In fact, it felt like Rousey was rushed past the glory of his popularity in MMA, instead giving her more time to explain the struggles of her career. And Ronda Rousey never sugarcoated her feelings about anyone or anything she went through.
Is it because the former bantamweight champion is just a facade? Or is it because she seems fine with walking away from mixed martial arts and pro wrestling and has no incentive to avoid burning bridges in her public life? Either way, hearing her perspective shows her sincerity, and you don't think she's trying to protect her own image or exaggerate her life experiences.
Rousey seems like a strong character, not uncommon for athletes. When she has feelings for someone, it's a strong feeling. By the end of this book, you'll know who she hates (Vince McMahon, WWE producer Bruce Pritchard, and former rival Miesha Tate, to name a few) and know who she hates, including her close friends whom she trusts. My friends (Four Horsewomen) will understand. , her husband and former UFC fighter Travis Brown).
That same intensity comes back to haunt her from time to time. When she lost her bantamweight title to Holly Holm, she remembers that it completely derailed her life. Everything revolved around being the best, but when she suddenly wasn't the best, she was at a loss. She also reflects on how her life experiences were not as rewarding as she expected as a result of the sacrifices she made throughout her combat career.
Both of these anecdotes tell stories of sacrifice and loss that you could probably hear from any martial artist. But it's incredibly interesting to hear this song from Ronda Rousey, who was gaining mainstream attention. Her work ethic set her apart from others and made her a pioneer in her industry, but it also came at a cost to her.
The price of being a fighter
Looking back on her career, Ronda Rousey was able to provide great insight into the life of a fighter and the negative impact it had on her. Perhaps her one of the most powerful chapters in this story is Ronda Rousey reminiscing about her past, where her judo and mixed martial arts trainers pushed her perhaps too hard. Although she spoke at length about these training sessions, she looked at it from a different perspective. When does rigorous, hard training become abuse?
She also opened up about how her head injury seriously affected her career and could come back to haunt her. It is often mentioned in her book that her previous concussions and head injuries prevented her from even being able to properly take a punch by the time she began her MMA career. The training session ends with you seeing a “camera flash” when you close your eyes, which is a common symptom of head trauma.
After several draining years in her martial arts career, she began to worry about long-term symptoms that might plague her for years to come. Could it be that she barely remembered the time she spent traveling the world with her job? Is it because she was concentrating on her task at hand, or because her memory has already faded significantly? She's not entirely sure what the answer is.
Ronda Rousey's frankness when discussing the self-harm she experienced during her career is also admirable. She lived in a pressure cooker environment with absolutely nothing to prevent her from pushing herself beyond her limits, which is definitely reprehensible, but her mixed martial arts and wrestling career Both ended due to mental and physical burnout. .
The competitive nature that always drove her sometimes caused her to work at a much more aggressive pace than she could realistically tolerate. A recurring example of this is Ronda Rousey's oath to UFC promoter Dana White that she would be there for them anytime, anywhere. Keeping this promise of hers even as she became one of the promotion's top stars meant that she ended up appearing in eight title fights in four years. This level of activity was nearly unparalleled and ultimately led to her withdrawal from the sport.
Verdict: Is Ronda Rousey's book worth reading?
Ronda Rousey's story is fascinating and interesting, perhaps enhanced by her sister and co-author of this book, journalist Maria Barnes Ortiz, but you just have to hear one point of view. It's important to remember that you are just there. There are some parts of this book that I don't agree with, such as certain resentments and emotions. One of the more questionable moments is that Rousey appears to still have hard feelings towards rival Miesha Tate, whom she last fought over a decade ago. But the honest feelings Rousey has for everyone mentioned in this book make her story feel like a genuine reflection of her thoughts.
This book may not appeal to those who only want to hear one aspect of Ronda Rousey's life. If you're only interested in Rousey's MMA career, the first half of the book provides fascinating details to keep you hooked. However, once MMA fans become disinterested in professional wrestling, the lengthy inside-baseball story about her WWE days may forget you. Rousey explains each topic in detail. In other words, your passion and interest in the Entertainment Her genre will enhance your experience when reading Her stories. If you want to hear about Ronda Rousey's life, from judo to WrestleMania, there's no better book than this.
Whether you love or hate Ronda Rousey, her influence on mixed martial arts is undeniable. So experiencing all of her key moments in the UFC cage from her seemingly authentic perspective makes this book worthwhile. This book by him is just under 300 pages, so if you're an avid reader, it won't take you long. Considering all these factors, it's hard not to recommend this book to anyone who wants to hear non-Matt information about MMA and inside-the-rope details of his WWE career.
