Though Ronda Rousey has indicated she likely won’t fight professionally again, the former UFC champion and Hall of Famer still demonstrates the skills that propelled her to superstardom in MMA.
After recently giving birth to her daughter, Rousey committed to sharing her fitness journey publicly. This is a change from her experience after her first child with husband Travis Browne, where she avoided publicizing her post-pregnancy progress.
Rousey shared on Instagram that she previously hesitated to post photos, fearing unfair comparisons between her post-baby body and her fighting physique. She now realizes she was too critical of herself and expresses pride in what her body could achieve.
“Now it’s obvious the one unfairly comparing was me — holy shit what an idiot I was, I’d be so proud to get back to that point now.” Rousey wrote, reflecting on her past insecurities.
“So this time I’m going to try and be a little more brave and not go through this journey in secret but share it in hopes it helps anyone out there going through something similar.”
As part of her return to the gym, Rousey has resumed martial arts training. A recent video shows her practicing with focus mitts and even engaging in some grappling drills with former opponent Cat Zingano.
Rousey famously defeated Zingano in a record-breaking 14 seconds at UFC 184, defending her bantamweight title for the fifth time with a swift armbar.
The video highlights some of Rousey’s grappling expertise, as she thanks Zingano for training with her and remarks on how enjoyable it is to be back in action, stating, “I forgot how fun it could be.”
Despite her renewed gym activity, Rousey has clarified that a UFC comeback is not in her plans, citing her history of concussions as a reason for staying retired from both MMA and professional wrestling.
