What Is Ronda Rousey’s UFC Record?

Before dominating the squared circle with WWE, ‘Rowdy’ Ronda Rousey revolutionised MMA when she went to the UFC and became UFC Bantamweight Champion.

Rousey is no stranger to a fight after a successful career as a judoka which took her to two Olympic Games in 2004 and 2008. It was in Beijing in 2008 that Ronda Rousey won her only Olympic medal when she brought home bronze for Team USA in the 70kg category in Judo.

Rousey’s profile began to grow as she entered the world of MMA first as an amateur in 2010 before turning pro one year later. Her early fights were an exhibition in submission ability as she won them all via her trusty armbar. It wasn’t until Rousey entered the UFC octagon in 2013 that she was taken beyond the first round of a fight.

Ronda Rousey – UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion

With the UFC new to the world of women’s MMA, Rousey entered the company as Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion so was awarded the new UFC version of that title. Her first fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship came in February 2013 where she successfully defended her crown, submitting Liz Carmouche in 4:49 of the first round.

Ronda Rousey’s ascent to the top of the UFC continued as she became a bonafide box office draw for the company, headlining several pay-per-view events that sold over 1 million buys.

The apex of Rousey’s UFC career came in February 2015 when ‘The Most Dangerous Unarmed Woman In The World’ submitted Cat Zingano with a straight armbar in just 14 seconds.

Did Ronda Rousey lose in the UFC?

All good things must come to an end and that was the case for Ronda Rousey when she put her career undefeated streak and UFC Bantamweight Championship on the line against Holly Holm in November 2015.

In Melbourne, Australia, Ronda Rousey attempted to go punch for punch with the noted boxer, leading to her first loss in MMA.

Almost one year later, Rousey re-entered the cage to take on the woman that had since defeated Holms for the UFC Bantamweight Championship, Amanda Nunes. The Brazilian fighter was relentless as she stopped Rousey with a flurry of unanswered punches in just 48 seconds.

That was the last time Ronda Rousey competed in MMA, seemingly ending her career in the sport with a lifetime professional record of 12-2, with a 6-2 record in the UFC.

Ronda Rousey joins WWE

In 2018, Rousey shocked the WWE Universe when she emerged at the end of that year’s Royal Rumble signalling her intent to compete in a WWE ring. She made her in-ring debut at WrestleMania 34 where she teamed with fellow Olympian Kurt Angle to defeat Stephanie McMahon and Triple H.

At SummerSlam 2018, Rousey captured the Raw Women’s Championship from Alexa Bliss, holding the title all the way until WrestleMania 35 when she lost in the main event in a Triple Threat match to Becky Lynch.

After a nearly three-year absence from WWE, Rousey returned at the 2022 Royal Rumble as a surprise entrant in the women’s Rumble match. Rousey eliminated four foes on her way to winning the bout, guaranteeing her yet another WrestleMania main event, where she has challenged Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship.

Why did Ronda Rousey leave the UFC?

In a 2022 interview with UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier, Rousey opened up about her decision to leave the UFC.

“I think it was difficult [to quit] in both judo and MMA, in that everyone else felt that they wanted more from me.

Like, in judo you peak in your mid-20s. I medaled at 21 so I was going to be 25 for the next Olympics. Everyone’s like, ‘Oh, this is it! You’re going to be the first [American woman] to win an Olympic gold!’ And I didn’t want it anymore, and I couldn’t do it for everybody else.

And I think that’s a mistake that I made with MMA, was when I got to that point where I didn’t want it anymore, I kept doing it for everybody else.”

Ronda Rousey’s UFC and MMA record