As company president Dana White has stated countless times since introducing the organization’s first female weight class at the beginning of the year, women wouldn’t be in the UFC without Ronda Rousey leading the charge.
Were it not for the edgy personality and seemingly unrivaled skills that made White take notice, the UFC roster would probably still consist solely of the male divisions.
So when Rousey (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) recently expressed a desire to retire from MMA within the next couple of years, many in the industry wondered if women’s MMA would take a hit like it did when Gina Carano left the sport in 2009.
Rousey recognizes those fears, she said she’s determined not to leave a “Gina Carano void” of her own.
“Everyone loved Gina and Gina really started all the interest in women’s MMA, and when she left, the entire sport detonated without her,” Rousey told MMAjunkie. “I never want to leave the sport in that state she had to when she left. I’ve really accomplished a lot at this point, and I’m starting to think about more than just the present moment and thinking more down the line and how I want to leave some sort of a legacy.”
While such sentiments aren’t uncommon among fighters, Rousey wants her legacy to extend far beyond wins, losses, title defenses and first-round armbars. It may be a lofty goal, but Rousey is determined to make a big enough impact on the sport that she can point to herself as a reason why women are still in the UFC – not just a few years from now, but decades down the line.
“I really want there to be women’s MMA fights in the UFC 20 years from now and be able to sit there and just revel in what was created – the way I see Royce Gracie sitting front row to the UFC’s now,” Rousey said. “I want to really be able to sit and have that look of contentment and have that smile that I see Royce with when he’s at those events.”
Beyond delivering in the octagon, Rousey has raised her profile – and perhaps WMMA’s – with modeling and acting ventures. Additionally, in part due to Rousey’s success, the UFC has announced a women’s 115-pound strawweight division that will be introduced in 2014 with the first-ever all-female season of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality show, “TUF 20.”
Rousey said the new division will help alleviate some of the pressure that comes with being the organization’s sole female titleholder.
“I’m so excited the 115-pound division was brought in,” Rousey said. “A lot of them are so bright and charismatic. I really think they could carry the gauntlet in a fantastic way, and I couldn’t be any happier for them. It’s a lot of weight off my shoulders that there will be another women’s champion out there.”
Although she’s pleased by the progress, Rousey said she won’t consider withdrawing from active competition until she feels WMMA is clearly stable in the UFC.
“I really still feel like that weight is still on my shoulders,” Rousey said. “When I feel like I don’t have that responsibility anymore, that’s when I’ll start thinking about stepping away.”
Up next for Rousey is a rematch with Miesha Tate (13-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) at UFC 168. The bout co-headlines the Dec. 28 pay-per-view-event, which takes place at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Despite the recent out-of-the-cage headlines, Rousey said she’s committed to her master plan, which includes an unblemished professional record and a lasting influence on sport. The quest continues at UFC 168.
“Retire undefeated is what I’m going to do, and my mind is resolved to that,” Rousey said. “None of these girls have the right to beat me under any circumstances, and I’m not going to allow that to happen. I’m going to fight until I feel like I’m done, and when I feel like I’m done, I’m going to walk away and leave the sport in very capable hands.”
