Ronda Rousey was still early in her MMA career, having only fought twice when she signed with Strikeforce. However, she quickly became a prominent figure in the sport and played a key role in bringing women into the UFC.
It’s well known that UFC CEO Dana White once famously declared that women would never fight in the UFC. But Rousey changed his mind completely and became the trailblazer who reshaped the future of women in the organization. Back in 2011, though, Rousey was just an emerging fighter, hopeful that her performances would be enough to catch White’s eye.
Reflecting on those early days, Rousey acknowledges that she felt a strong sense of responsibility to prove herself, especially knowing that women’s MMA was at risk after the UFC purchased Strikeforce.
In an interview with Chris Van Vliet, Rousey shared, “People forget how delicate the situation was. I managed to get us in at the last minute.” She explained that Strikeforce had been the only promotion really giving women a platform to compete, largely due to Gina Carano’s influence. Carano’s father had connections with the Nevada Athletic Commission, allowing her to compete in sanctioned fights. But after Carano left the sport, the women’s division began to struggle, particularly as Cris Cyborg, heavily accused of steroid use, took over. “No one wanted to watch her cheat,” Rousey said. The entire division was on the brink of collapse.
Rousey knew that with UFC’s acquisition of Strikeforce, they might only keep the male fighters they were interested in and shut down the rest, similar to what had happened with other promotions like PRIDE and WEC. It became clear to Rousey that the women’s division could soon disappear.
Before Rousey’s rise, Gina Carano had been the top female star in MMA, but she left the sport in 2009 after losing to Cyborg. Even though Strikeforce continued promoting women’s fights, the future of the division was in question. Rousey understood this, and from that point on, she made it her mission to stand out. Her powerful performances in the cage, combined with her bold and outspoken personality, quickly propelled her to superstardom.
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