Ronda Rousey says she hid concussion injury out of fear of Dana White: 'They would have retired me'

Ronda Rousey is a well-known name in the mixed martial arts world and a source of inspiration for many. The 37-year-old dominated the women's bantamweight division with her aggression and skill. She holds the record for most UFC title defenses by a woman (six). Rousey announced her retirement from competition in 2016, and to this day she remains one of the most famous mixed martial artists in the world. But all this did not come without sacrifice.

She recently appeared on the YouTube podcast “Not Alone.” While speaking with host Valeria Lipovetsky, she talked about her concussion problem and how she coped with it. Let her find out what she had to say.

Ronda Rousey talks about concussions during her martial arts career

Despite being the dominant champion in the UFC, Rousey has had her share of problems. One of the biggest setbacks in her career was her loss to Holly Holm. The two faced each other for the women's bantamweight title at UFC 193. Holm surprised everyone by knocking out the Olympic bronze medalist in the second round. This was Rousey's first mixed martial arts loss, and the fighter has never looked the same since. In this episode, she shared her concussion experience and how she fought despite the problem.

The 37-year-old confessed that she didn't want to say anything after the first match. She further added: “Because I know the media was trying to sensationalize everything and chop everything up and make headlines. They weren't trying to help me tell my story. It wasn't like they were trying to help me tell my story. It's the kind of thing that I think could only have been talked about in WWE. Then I wanted to go to WWE as well. They have a very lauded history with concussions and CTE and things like that. And how bad it is. If they had known, I don't think they would have hired me. They wouldn't have allowed me to perform, so I took my fate into my own hands. I had to keep these things to myself, because if Coach or Dana had known how bad things were, they would have forced me to retire, and I I wouldn’t have been ready.”

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Concussions weren't the only thing the former champion faced during his time in the UFC. Her struggle with concussions dates back to her judo days. Rousey even claimed that she lost her fight to Holly Holm for the same reason.

Ronda Rousey reveals the real reason for her first MMA loss

Concussions are one of the most common injuries faced by athletes in martial arts. But Rousey says her relationship with injury started much earlier than the UFC. Before moving on to MMA, “Rowdy” started his career in judo. Although she also won an Olympic medal in this sport, she faced serious consequences from the injury. In her recent interview, she talked about how her concussion affected her fight with her longtime rival Holly Holm.

“The Baddest Woman on Earth” suffered one of the cruelest losses in her career at the hands of Holm. However, she revealed the real reason for her defeat in her recent interview. “Ruffian” said, “Usually when I fight, time stretches out and I see everything in slow motion. This [the fight against Holly Holm] It was like being in a fog, and I couldn't make out anything. ” No matter how the fight ends, Rousey remains one of the pioneers of MMA for women around the world.

Rousey's contributions to martial arts are second to none. Many believe she is the best female bantamweight to ever grace the Octagon. How do you rate Ronda Rousey as a fighter? Let us know in the comments below.

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