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via Getty

via Getty

Ronda Rousey is an icon that has paved the way for women in the world of combat sports. She was the first female champion in the history of the UFC and is also one of the most famous fighters in the world. Rousey was also the first woman to be a part of the UFC’s prestigious Hall of Fame. 

“Rowdy” has beaten some of the greatest fighters during her heyday. Some of these include Miesha Tate, Sara McMann, and Cat Zingano. However, before Rousey rose to fame and showed the world her great talent, she went through a very rough childhood.

In her Netflix documentary, Through My Father’s Eyes: The Ronda Rousey Story, she detailed what happened to her father.

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Ronda’s father had a rare disease known as the Bernard-Soulier syndrome. The condition affects the way blood clots when someone is injured. Platelets in the affected patients are unusually bigger than usual and are fewer compared to a healthy individual.

READ MORE: ‘When She Was Born We Thought She Was Dead’ – Ronda Rousey’s Mother Talks About How Her Birth Was a Miracle

Her father had an accident while sledding which resulted in him getting a very serious injury to his back. After that, he was running in and out of hospitals for treatment and was in intensive care for months. As days went by, his condition only got worse.

However, he did not want to put his wife and daughter through the pain of seeing him gradually get worse with time.

Talking about that, Ronda said,” There was like, this one pond we used to go out to and skip rocks in all the time. And he went out there one day and put a hose in the exhaust and killed himself. And then, you know, I was eight, and I didn’t even know he was dying up to then. Pretty much all the time that my dad was alive. Everyone was that I remember–everyone was lying to me. I thought he was fine. He was dying in front of me the whole time I knew him.”

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Ronda Rousey: MMA record

Ronda Rousey has been a record-breaking superstar in the MMA world. She was not only the first female UFC champion, but she also has defended her title the most times in UFC women’s division history.

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Ronda Rousey’s professional mixed martial arts record stands at 12 wins and 2 losses. While Rousey has achieved much success today, her journey has not been easy. However, today the fighter is one of the most popular athletes in the world and is proof that hard work and dedication leads to success.

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