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 accomplished American professional wrestler, actress, and former judoka and mixed martial artist. She gained prominence through her successful careers in both the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and WWE. Rousey's impact extends beyond sports, encompassing entertainment and celebrity status.
2 days ago : Ronda Rousey, 38, stuns in Wonder Woman bikini after physique transformation post birth.
Ronda Rousey, at 38, amazed fans with a stunning physique transformation, showcasing a 'Wonder Woman' bikini just eight months after giving birth. Fans reacted positively to the video and pictures.
1988: Lynn Roethke wins Olympic medal
In 1988, Lynn Roethke won a silver medal in Judo at the Olympics. However, her medal was not counted toward the US medal count because women's Judo was a demonstration sport.
2004: Olympic Qualification and World Judo Juniors Championship
In 2004, at 17, Ronda Rousey became the youngest judoka to qualify for the Olympic Games in Athens and also 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.
February 2007: Ranked Among Top Judo Competitors
In February 2007, Ronda Rousey moved up to 70 kg and ranked as one of the top three women in the world, subsequently winning gold at the Pan American Games and silver at the World Judo Championships.
August 2008: Olympic Bronze Medal
In August 2008, at the Beijing Olympics, Ronda Rousey won a bronze medal in Judo, becoming the first American to medal in women's judo since it became an Olympic sport in 1992.
2008: Decision to Start MMA
After the 2008 Olympics, the following year, Ronda Rousey decided to start MMA through Team Hayastan.
2008: Olympic Medal in Judo
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: Mixed Martial Arts Debut
On August 6, 2010, Ronda Rousey made her mixed martial arts debut as an amateur, defeating Hayden Munoz by submission due to an armbar in 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, submitting Autumn Richardson with an armbar in 57 seconds.
January 7, 2011: Tuff-N-Uff Tournament Semi-Finals
On January 7, 2011, Ronda Rousey faced Taylor Stratford in the Tuff-N-Uff tournament semi-finals, winning by technical submission due to an armbar in 24 seconds, after which she announced plans to turn pro.
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 at Hard Knocks Fighting Championship: School of Hard Knocks 12, submitting Tweet with an armbar in 49 seconds.
July 30, 2011: Strikeforce Debut Postponed
On July 30, 2011, Ronda Rousey's scheduled Strikeforce debut against Sarah D'Alelio at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, was postponed.
November 18, 2011: Victory Over Julia Budd
On November 18, 2011, Ronda Rousey defeated Julia Budd at Strikeforce Challengers 20 in Las Vegas via submission due to an armbar, dislocating Budd's elbow. Following the fight, she announced plans to challenge Miesha Tate for the Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Championship.
2011: MMA Career Began
In 2011, Ronda Rousey started her mixed martial arts (MMA) career with King of the Cage and subsequently joined Strikeforce.
March 3, 2012: Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Championship
On March 3, 2012, Ronda Rousey defeated Miesha Tate by submission due to an armbar in the first round at Columbus, Ohio, to become the new Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion.
August 18, 2012: Strikeforce Title Defense
On August 18, 2012, Ronda Rousey defended her Strikeforce title against Sarah Kaufman at Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman in San Diego, California, winning by armbar in 54 seconds and retaining the Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Championship. After the fight, Rousey challenged Cris Cyborg to a bantamweight fight.
November 2012: Signs with UFC
In November 2012, Ronda Rousey became the first female fighter to sign with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and was announced as the inaugural UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion.
2012: Rousey appeared nude on the cover of 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 inside the magazine.
February 23, 2013: UFC 157 Title Defense
On February 23, 2013, at UFC 157, Ronda Rousey successfully defended her Bantamweight Championship title against Liz Carmouche, winning by submission due to an armbar in the first round. Carmouche dislocated Ronda Rousey's jaw during the fight.
September 2013: Rousey appeared on the cover and in a pictorial of Maxim Magazine
In September 2013, Ronda Rousey appeared on the cover of Maxim Magazine and was featured in a pictorial within the issue.
December 28, 2013: UFC 168 Title Defense Against Miesha Tate
On December 28, 2013, at UFC 168, Ronda Rousey retained her Bantamweight Championship by defeating Miesha Tate via armbar in the third round, marking a rematch from Strikeforce. Rousey noted that she lost muscle during film commitments and couldn't regain her full strength for the fight.
February 22, 2014: UFC 170 Main Event: Rousey vs. McMann
On February 22, 2014, Ronda Rousey defended her UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship against Sara McMann at UFC 170. Rousey won the fight by TKO in the first round, marking her first win not by armbar. The stoppage was considered premature by some.
July 5, 2014: UFC 175: Rousey vs. 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 and broke her thumb during the fight, earning a Performance of the Night bonus award.
August 17, 2014: The Four Horsewomen at WWE SummerSlam
On August 17, 2014, The Four Horsewomen were acknowledged on camera at WWE's SummerSlam event. Rousey was interviewed by WWE.com and hinted at possibly crossing over to wrestling like Brock Lesnar.
2014: The Expendables 3 Film Appearance
In 2014, Ronda Rousey appeared in the film "The Expendables 3".
2014: Rousey in The Expendables 3
In 2014, Ronda Rousey co-starred in The Expendables 3, marking her first significant role in a major motion picture.
February 28, 2015: UFC 184: Rousey vs. Zingano
On February 28, 2015, Ronda Rousey defeated Cat Zingano with an armbar in 14 seconds at UFC 184, which 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, along with the Four Horsewomen, was involved in an in-ring segment with The Rock and The Authority, where she confronted Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, teasing a future in WWE.
April 2015: Rousey visited Yerevan, Armenia, for Armenian genocide anniversary
In April 2015, Ronda Rousey visited Yerevan, Armenia, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide and paid respects at the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide memorial.
August 1, 2015: UFC 190: Rousey vs. Correia
On August 1, 2015, Ronda Rousey fought Bethe Correia at UFC 190 in Brazil and won by knockout in 34 seconds. Rousey dedicated the match to "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, who had died the day before, and earned another Performance of the Night award.
October 2015: Rousey guest hosts ESPN's SportsCenter
In October 2015, Ronda Rousey became the first female athlete to guest host ESPN's SportsCenter.
November 15, 2015: UFC 193: Rousey vs. Holm
On November 15, 2015, Ronda Rousey faced Holly Holm at UFC 193 and was knocked out in the second round, losing her title and undefeated streak. Both fighters were awarded a Fight of the Night bonus.
November 18, 2015: Medical Suspension by UFC
On November 18, 2015, Ronda Rousey was medically suspended by UFC following her loss to Holly Holm.
December 9, 2015: Medical Clearance
On December 9, 2015, Ronda Rousey was medically cleared by the UFC following her suspension.
2015: Rousey in Furious 7 and Entourage
In 2015, Ronda Rousey appeared in the film Furious 7 and also played herself in the film Entourage.
2015: Rousey featured on Australian Men's Fitness cover
In 2015, Ronda Rousey became the first woman to be featured on the cover of Australian Men's Fitness magazine, appearing on their November edition.
January 2016: Rousey on the cover of The Ring magazine
In January 2016, Ronda Rousey was featured on the cover of The Ring magazine, becoming the first mixed martial artist and only the second woman after Cathy Davis in 1978 to achieve this recognition.
January 23, 2016: Rousey hosts Saturday Night Live
On January 23, 2016, Ronda Rousey hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live, a late-night variety show, with Selena Gomez as the musical guest.
February 2016: Rousey on Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover
In February 2016, Ronda Rousey appeared in body paint as one of three cover athletes on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
December 30, 2016: UFC 207: Rousey vs. Nunes
On December 30, 2016, Ronda Rousey returned to face Amanda Nunes at UFC 207, losing the fight via TKO in the first round.
2016: Rousey endorsed Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign
In 2016, Ronda Rousey endorsed Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign for the United States presidential election.
2016: Retirement from MMA
In 2016, Ronda Rousey retired from mixed martial arts (MMA).
2016: Road House Remake cancelled
In 2016, the planned remake of the 1989 Patrick Swayze action drama 'Road House', in which Ronda Rousey was scheduled to star, was cancelled.
September 12, 2017: Mae Young Classic Appearance
On September 12, 2017, Ronda Rousey and the other Horsewomen appeared at the Mae Young Classic to support Shayna Baszler. They had a face-off with WWE's Four Horsewomen, hinting at a future feud.
January 28, 2018: Royal Rumble Appearance and WWE Signing
On January 28, 2018, Ronda Rousey made a surprise appearance at the Royal Rumble, confronting champions from Raw and SmackDown. It was revealed she had signed a full-time contract with WWE. She wore "Rowdy" Roddy Piper's jacket, given to her by his son.
July 9, 2018: Rousey confirmed as pre-order bonus character for WWE 2K19
On July 9, 2018, it was confirmed that Ronda Rousey would be one of the two pre-order bonus characters for the video game WWE 2K19, along with Rey Mysterio. She had previously appeared in EA Sports UFC, EA Sports UFC 2, and EA Sports UFC 3.
July 2018: UFC Hall of Fame Induction
In July 2018, Ronda Rousey was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
2018: Mile 22 Film Appearance
In 2018, Ronda Rousey appeared in the film "Mile 22".
2018: Professional Wrestling Career Begins
In 2018, Ronda Rousey started her professional wrestling career by signing with WWE, debuting at WrestleMania 34, and winning the Raw Women's Championship at SummerSlam.
2018: Inducted into UFC Hall of Fame
In 2018, Ronda Rousey was the first female fighter inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
January 17, 2019: Rousey to voice Sonya Blade in Mortal Kombat 11
On January 17, 2019, it was confirmed that Ronda Rousey would voice the character Sonya Blade in the video game Mortal Kombat 11.
January 28, 2019: Raw Title Defense Against Bayley
On January 28, 2019, Ronda Rousey defended her title against Bayley on Raw. Afterwards, her feud with Becky Lynch continued, with Lynch choosing to challenge her for the title at WrestleMania 35.
February 18, 2020: Rousey announces first stream on Facebook Gaming
On February 18, 2020, Ronda Rousey announced her first stream on Facebook Gaming and committed to donating all stream profits to charity.
September 2021: Rousey hosts Rowdy's Places on ESPN+
In September 2021, Ronda Rousey hosted Rowdy's Places on ESPN+. The ten-episode limited series featured Ronda speaking with experts within the worlds of MMA, wrestling, boxing and more.
January 29, 2022: Royal Rumble Return and Victory
On January 29, 2022, Ronda Rousey returned to WWE at the Royal Rumble as a face, entering at No. 28 and winning by last eliminating Charlotte Flair, earning a championship match at WrestleMania 38.
November 30, 2022: Rousey added as playable character in Raid: Shadow Legends
On November 30, 2022, Ronda Rousey was added as a playable character to the video game Raid: Shadow Legends.
2022: SmackDown Women's Championship Reign
In 2022, Ronda Rousey had a notable run in WWE, including retaining her title against Raquel Rodriguez on the May 13th episode of SmackDown. At Money in the Bank in July, she retained her title against Natalya, but lost it to Liv Morgan, who cashed in her Money in the Bank contract after the match.
2022: WWE Return and Championship Wins
In 2022, Ronda Rousey returned to WWE at the Royal Rumble, winning the women's Royal Rumble match and later securing the SmackDown Women's Championship twice.
2022: UFC Title Defense Record Surpassed
In 2022, Valentina Shevchenko surpassed Ronda Rousey's record for most UFC title defenses (6) by a female.
October 2023: Leaves WWE
In October 2023, Ronda Rousey departed from WWE and began wrestling on the independent circuit.
October 26, 2023: Rousey comes out of retirement at Lucha VaVoom
On October 26, 2023, Ronda Rousey came out of retirement to team with Marina Shafir. Together they defeated Brian Kendrick and Taya Valkyrie at a Lucha VaVoom event.
2023: WWE Career and Retirement
In 2023, Ronda Rousey continued her WWE career. She teamed with Shayna Baszler, winning the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship. She had a match against Baszler at SummerSlam, which she lost. It was later reported that she was leaving WWE, with Rousey confirming her retirement on October 11, citing concussions as a major factor. She also criticized her time in WWE and Vince McMahon.
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