Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Ronda Rousey
How Ronda Rousey built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Ronda Rousey is an American professional wrestler, actress, and former judoka and mixed martial artist. She gained prominence for her careers in both the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and WWE. Her impact on women's mixed martial arts and professional wrestling is significant, as she helped elevate both sports to new levels of mainstream attention.
2004: Olympic Qualification and World Judo Juniors Gold Medal
In 2004, at 17, Ronda Rousey was the youngest judoka to qualify for the Olympic Games in Athens, where she lost her first match. Also in 2004, she won a gold medal at the World Judo Juniors Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
April 2006: Birmingham World Cup Gold Medal
In April 2006, Ronda Rousey became the first female U.S. judoka in nearly 10 years to win an A-Level tournament, claiming gold at the Birmingham World Cup in Great Britain with a 5-0 record.
February 2007: Top Ranking and Weight Class Change
In February 2007, Ronda Rousey moved up to the 70 kg weight class and ranked as one of the top three women in the world.
August 2008: 2008 Olympic Games Bronze Medal
In August 2008, at the Beijing Olympics, Ronda Rousey won a bronze medal in Judo, making her the first American to win an Olympic medal in women's judo since 1992 when it became an Olympic sport.
2008: Decision to Start MMA
After the 2008 Olympics, Ronda Rousey decided to start training in MMA through Team Hayastan, spurred by her interest in watching Manny Gamburyan's MMA fights.
2008: Olympic Bronze Medal
In 2008, Ronda Rousey became the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in judo, securing a bronze medal at the Summer Olympics.
August 6, 2010: Amateur MMA Debut
On August 6, 2010, Ronda Rousey made her mixed martial arts debut as an amateur, defeating Hayden Munoz by submission with an armbar in just 23 seconds.
November 12, 2010: Tuff-N-Uff Tournament Quarterfinals
On November 12, 2010, Ronda Rousey entered the quarterfinals of the Tuff-N-Uff 145 lbs women's tournament and submitted Autumn Richardson with an armbar in 57 seconds.
January 7, 2011: Tuff-N-Uff Tournament Win and Pro Plans
On January 7, 2011, Ronda Rousey won her Tuff-N-Uff tournament semi-final fight against Taylor Stratford by technical submission with an armbar in 24 seconds. Following this victory, she announced her plans to turn professional.
March 27, 2011: Professional MMA Debut
On March 27, 2011, Ronda Rousey made her professional mixed martial arts debut at King of the Cage: Turning Point, submitting Ediane Gomes with an armbar in 25 seconds.
June 17, 2011: Victory over Charmaine Tweet
On June 17, 2011, Ronda Rousey faced kickboxing champion Charmaine Tweet in an MMA bout at Hard Knocks Fighting Championship: School of Hard Knocks 12 in Calgary, Canada, submitting Tweet with an armbar in 49 seconds.
July 30, 2011: Postponed Strikeforce Debut
On July 30, 2011, Ronda Rousey was originally scheduled to make her Strikeforce debut against Sarah D'Alelio at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, but the fight was postponed.
November 18, 2011: Strikeforce Challengers 20 Victory
On November 18, 2011, Ronda Rousey faced Julia Budd at Strikeforce Challengers 20 in Las Vegas. She won via submission with an armbar in the first round, dislocating Budd's elbow. Afterwards, she announced her intention to challenge Miesha Tate for the Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Championship.
2011: MMA Career Start
In 2011, Ronda Rousey started her mixed martial arts (MMA) career with King of the Cage, marking the beginning of her professional fighting journey.
March 3, 2012: Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion
On March 3, 2012, Ronda Rousey challenged Miesha Tate for her Strikeforce title in Columbus, Ohio. She defeated Tate by submission due to an armbar in the first round, becoming the new Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion.
August 18, 2012: Strikeforce Title Defense Against Kaufman
On August 18, 2012, Ronda Rousey defended her Strikeforce title against Sarah Kaufman at Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman in San Diego, California. Rousey retained the Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Championship by submitting Kaufman with an armbar in 54 seconds. After the fight, Rousey challenged Cris Cyborg to a fight at bantamweight.
November 2012: Signing with UFC and Inaugural Championship
In November 2012, Ronda Rousey became the first female fighter to sign with the UFC. UFC President Dana White announced that Rousey was the first UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion.
2012: Nude Appearance on ESPN The Magazine's Body Issue
In 2012, Ronda Rousey appeared nude on the cover of ESPN The Magazine's Body Issue and in a pictorial therein, showcasing her physical form and confidence as an athlete.
2012: Interview before first match with Miesha Tate
In 2012, prior to her first match against Miesha Tate, Ronda Rousey mentioned that her main advantage in judo was her conditioning and pace, and that she fought as if every five seconds were the last, inspired by a quote from Ryoko Tani.
February 23, 2013: UFC 157 Title Defense
On February 23, 2013, at UFC 157, Ronda Rousey defended her Bantamweight Championship title against Liz Carmouche, winning by submission with an armbar in the first round. Carmouche dislocated Ronda Rousey's jaw during the fight.
September 2013: Cover Appearance in Maxim
In September 2013, Ronda Rousey appeared on the cover and in a pictorial of Maxim magazine, further solidifying her presence in mainstream media.
December 28, 2013: UFC 168 Title Defense
On December 28, 2013, Ronda Rousey defended her Bantamweight Championship against Miesha Tate at UFC 168, winning by armbar submission in the third round.
February 22, 2014: UFC 170 Title Defense Against Sara McMann
On February 22, 2014, Ronda Rousey defended her UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship against Sara McMann at UFC 170, winning by TKO in the first round. This marked Rousey's first career win via a method other than armbar, though the stoppage led to controversy.
July 5, 2014: UFC 175 Victory against Alexis Davis
On July 5, 2014, Ronda Rousey defended her UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship against Alexis Davis at UFC 175. Rousey won by knockout in 16 seconds of the first round, breaking her thumb during the fight and earning her second Performance of the Night bonus award.
August 17, 2014: Appearance at WWE SummerSlam
On August 17, 2014, The Four Horsewomen were acknowledged on camera at WWE's SummerSlam event. Rousey hinted at a possible crossover to wrestling when interviewed by WWE.com.
2014: Co-starred in The Expendables 3
In 2014, Ronda Rousey co-starred in "The Expendables 3," marking her first role in a major motion picture and expanding her career into acting.
February 28, 2015: UFC 184 Victory against Cat Zingano
On February 28, 2015, at UFC 184, Ronda Rousey defeated Cat Zingano with an armbar in 14 seconds. This was the shortest title match in UFC history at the time.
March 29, 2015: WrestleMania 31 Appearance
On March 29, 2015, at WrestleMania 31, Ronda Rousey joined The Rock in an in-ring confrontation with The Authority (Stephanie McMahon and Triple H), tossing Triple H out of the ring and teasing an armbar on McMahon.
August 1, 2015: UFC 190 Victory against Bethe Correia
On August 1, 2015, Ronda Rousey fought Bethe Correia at UFC 190 in Brazil, winning by knockout in 34 seconds of the first round. Rousey dedicated the match to "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, who died the day before, and earned another Performance of the Night award.
October 2015: Guest Host on ESPN's SportsCenter
In October 2015, Ronda Rousey became the first female athlete to guest host ESPN's SportsCenter, showcasing her versatility and appeal beyond sports competition.
November 15, 2015: Loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193
On November 15, 2015, at UFC 193, Ronda Rousey faced Holly Holm and lost her title and undefeated streak after being knocked out in the second round. Both fighters received a Fight of the Night bonus.
2015: Appearance in Furious 7 and Entourage
In 2015, Ronda Rousey appeared in the film "Furious 7" and played herself in the film "Entourage", further establishing her presence in the film industry.
2015: Cover of Australian Men's Fitness
In 2015, Ronda Rousey became the first woman featured on the cover of Australian Men's Fitness magazine, appearing on their November edition, marking a significant achievement in her career.
January 2016: Cover of The Ring Magazine
In January 2016, Ronda Rousey was on the cover of The Ring magazine, becoming the first mixed martial artist to ever appear on the cover of the boxing magazine, and only the second woman after Cathy Davis in 1978.
January 23, 2016: Host of Saturday Night Live
On January 23, 2016, Ronda Rousey hosted an episode of the late-night variety show Saturday Night Live, with Selena Gomez as the musical guest, marking a significant milestone in her career as a mainstream entertainer.
February 2016: Appearance in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue
In February 2016, Ronda Rousey appeared in body paint as one of three cover athletes on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, enhancing her visibility and appeal.
December 30, 2016: Loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207
On December 30, 2016, Ronda Rousey returned to UFC after over a year away and faced Amanda Nunes at UFC 207, losing the fight via TKO in the first round.
2016: Retirement from MMA
In 2016, Ronda Rousey retired from mixed martial arts (MMA), concluding her active fighting career.
2016: Road House Remake Project Cancelled
In 2016, the Road House project, a remake of the 1989 Patrick Swayze action drama, which would have starred Ronda Rousey, was cancelled.
September 12, 2017: Mae Young Classic Appearance
On September 12, 2017, the Four Horsewomen appeared at the Mae Young Classic, hinting at a possible future feud with Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Bayley.
January 28, 2018: Royal Rumble Debut
On January 28, 2018, Ronda Rousey made a surprise appearance at the Royal Rumble, confronting Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair, and Asuka, and signed a full-time contract with WWE. The jacket she wore belonged to "Rowdy" Roddy Piper.
July 9, 2018: Pre-Order Bonus Character in WWE 2K19
On July 9, 2018, Ronda Rousey was confirmed as one of the two pre-order bonus characters for the video game WWE 2K19. She has also appeared in other video games like EA Sports UFC and WWE SuperCard.
July 2018: Induction into the UFC Hall of Fame
In July 2018, Ronda Rousey was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, cementing her legacy in the sport.
2018: WWE Debut and Raw Women's Championship
In 2018, Ronda Rousey began her professional wrestling career by signing with WWE and debuting at WrestleMania 34. She later won the Raw Women's Championship at SummerSlam and defended it at WWE's first all-women's pay-per-view, Evolution.
January 17, 2019: Voice of Sonya Blade in Mortal Kombat 11
On January 17, 2019, Ronda Rousey was confirmed to be voicing Sonya Blade in the video game Mortal Kombat 11, marking her involvement in the popular fighting game franchise.
January 28, 2019: Retained title against Bayley
On January 28, 2019, Ronda Rousey retained her title against Bayley on Raw and continued her feud with Becky Lynch, who had won the Royal Rumble match and chose to challenge her in a title match at WrestleMania 35.
August 18, 2019: Appearance in 9-1-1 series and Injury
On August 18, 2019, it was revealed that Ronda Rousey is appearing as a recurring character Lena Bosko in the third season of Fox's 9-1-1 series. During her first day of shooting, she injured two fingers and had to be rushed to the hospital.
February 18, 2020: First Stream on Facebook Gaming
On February 18, 2020, Ronda Rousey announced her first stream on Facebook Gaming and donated all stream profits to charity, combining her gaming interest with philanthropy.
September 2021: Host of Rowdy's Places on ESPN+
In September 2021, Ronda Rousey hosted "Rowdy's Places" on ESPN+, a ten-episode limited series where she spoke with experts in MMA, wrestling, boxing, and more to uncover the global sensation of combat sports.
January 29, 2022: WWE Royal Rumble Victory
On January 29, 2022, Ronda Rousey returned to WWE at the Royal Rumble, entering at No. 28 and winning the Women's Royal Rumble match to earn a championship match at WrestleMania 38.
November 30, 2022: Playable Character in Raid: Shadow Legends
On November 30, 2022, Ronda Rousey was added as a playable character to the game Raid: Shadow Legends, expanding her presence in the gaming world.
2022: Royal Rumble Win and SmackDown Championship
In 2022, Ronda Rousey returned to WWE, winning the women's Royal Rumble match. She also secured the SmackDown Women's Championship twice during the year, bringing her total to three women's world championships in WWE.
2022: Various matches
In 2022, Rousey had a number of notable matches. She returned to WWE on January 29 at the Royal Rumble. On the May 13 episode of SmackDown, she retained her title against Raquel Rodriguez, and at Money in the Bank on July 2, Rousey retained her title against Natalya, but lost the title to Liv Morgan. At SummerSlam 2022, Rousey lost to Morgan in controversial fashion and attacked Morgan and the referee, turning heel.
2022: UFC Title Defense Record Surpassed
In 2022, Valentina Shevchenko surpassed Ronda Rousey's record for the most UFC title defenses by a female fighter. Rousey previously held the record with 6 title defenses.
October 2023: Departure from WWE
In October 2023, Ronda Rousey left WWE and transitioned to wrestling on the independent circuit.
October 26, 2023: Lucha VaVoom Return
On October 26, 2023, Ronda Rousey came out of retirement, teaming with Marina Shafir to defeat Brian Kendrick and Taya Valkyrie at a Lucha VaVoom event.
2023: Teaming with Shayna Baszler in WWE and leaving WWE
In 2023, Ronda Rousey began teaming with Shayna Baszler in WWE, winning the Women's WrestleMania Showcase fatal four-way tag team match and the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, unifying it with the NXT Women's Tag Team Championships. However, Baszler turned on Rousey at Money in the Bank, leading to them losing the title and Rousey losing to Baszler at SummerSlam. After the match, it was reported that she was leaving WWE.
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