Ronda Rousey was known for taking out her opponents quickly and ruthlessly.
‘Rowdy’ set a company record by tapping out Cat Zingano in 14 seconds at UFC 184 in February 2015.
Ronda Rousey‘s glittering 11-0 MMA record included seven wins inside the first minute.
However, the UFC bantamweight champion vowed to drag out her next defense against Bethe Correia.
Ronda Rousey’s UFC 190 promise
Correia caused outrage when she used things from her opponent’s personal life, including the death of her father, who committed suicide, to sell the fight.
Rousey responded by promising to prolong their August 2015 matchup to make ‘Pitbull’ pay for her trash-talk.
“This fight has gone pretty personal for me, and when I finish fights quickly, that’s really me at my most merciful,” Rousey said in an interview with Sports Illustrated.
“My dad would call it a ‘come to Jesus meeting’. I’m going all the way down to Brazil to a ‘come to Jesus meeting’ with this chick.
“No, I’m not gonna end it quickly. But not because I can’t end it quickly, because I choose to.”
Rousey knocked out Correia in just 34 seconds when they finally traded blows at UFC 190.
The loudmouthed Brazilian was left face down on the floor after eating an early barrage of punches.
It may not have been long, but Rousey inflicted the damage she had hoped to in spectacular fashion.
Ronda Rousey’s downfall
Rousey’s win over Correia proved to be the last of her Hall of Fame UFC career.
Holly Holm knocked her out with a head kick to shock the world at UFC 193 in November 2015.
13 months later, Rousey was stopped by strikes just 48 seconds into her fight with Amanda Nunes.
A second successive loss prompted Rousey to retire at just 29 years old. Ever since, MMA fans have been calling for her return, but in 2024, she shut down hopes of a comeback by revealing a concussion issue had derailed her UFC career.
“It’s nice to feel missed, I guess. But it’s not happening. I’m not neurologically fit to compete anymore at the highest level. I just can’t,” Rousey said last August.
“You just get to a level where the neurological injuries you take accumulate over time. They don’t get better.”