PARonda Rousey has admitted that losing her UFC bantamweight title to Holly Holm left her contemplating suicide.
Speaking on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, the 29-year-old revealed the loss made her feel worthless.
According to the Daily Mirror, she said:
I was literally sitting there and thinking about killing myself and that exact second I’m like ‘I’m nothing, what do I do anymore and no one gives a shit about me anymore without this.’
To be honest, I looked up and I saw my man Travis was standing up there and I looked up at him and I was like, I need to have his babies. I need to stay alive.
Suicide is not a topic Rousey takes lightly, her father took his own life while she was a child, so it’s fair to say she would not make such a claim insincerely.
That chapter of her life caused uproar in 2015 when Bethe Correia appeared to goad Rousey on the issue ahead of their August fight in Rio.
As reported by MMA Fighting, Correia said:
Ronda talks about being a superwoman, a hero, but is a woman like me. Actually, I’m way stronger, I come from an underdeveloped country, where people fight to survive.
It’s a lot different form the reality of her life. Under pressure, she’s showing she’s weak. When mommy put some pressure, she ran away from home. When she lost, she did drugs. That’s not a super hero.
I want to see her reaction when I put some pressure against her. I want her to feel pressure and realize that I’m ready to fight her. She doesn’t have a good head, she needs to get help. There are a lot of people around her, she’s winning, but when she realizes that’s not everything, I don’t know what might happen. I hope she doesn’t commit suicide [laughs].
Rousey fired back on social media, leading to Correia apologising.
@RondaRousey Never knew what happened to ur dad.I’m humble enough to ask u for forgiveness. Family is a godly bless to me. See u in #UFC190
— Bethe (@bethecorreia) May 28, 2015
Rousey then went on to destroy the Brazilian in just 34 seconds in their fight last August.
Hopefully, the former women’s bantamweight champ will be back in similarly fiery fashion in late 2016, having put her injuries and emotional demons behind her.
