Perhaps nothing sums up Ronda Rousey‘s MMA career better than the lyrics of one of Johnny Cash’s many cult hit songs, which goes, in part: “you can run on for a long time, sooner or later God’ll cut you down.” From the highest highs to the lowest lows, ‘Rowdy’ saw it all during her stint in the UFC.

In 2011 Dana White, in his characteristic bombastic style, told reporters that “women will never fight in the UFC.” Less than two years later, the UFC CEO had gone back on his word, almost entirely because of Ronda Rousey. However, her watch ended ignominiously, and somewhat disgracefully, with the famously mercurial UFC fans turning on her. But Dana White thinks that the reason for her downfall was that Rousey was too good at everything.

Ronda Rousey agrees with Dana White on why her career fizzled out

In 2018, Ronda Rousey bid a tearful adieu to the sport that she helped pioneer and popularize. The former bantamweight champion, coming off of consecutive losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, hung up her gloves, citing her history of concussions as the reason. Many, however, felt that ‘Rowdy’ simply wasn’t good enough to compete with the other girls by the time she retired. Rousey did not make much improvements to her striking-heavy fighting style, according to many analysts, which led to her falling behind the others in pure skill and ability.

But despite all of this, Dana White still seemingly regrets her retirement, ruefully telling Shannon Sharpe recently that  ‘Rowdy’ was the “greatest athlete” he’s ever worked with. Rousey was asked her opinion on this and White’s other claim: that the attention and fame that comes with being the biggest-ever female fighter stunted her ‘evolution’ as a fighter.

‘Rowdy’, for her part, wholeheartedly agreed with this assessment. The former champ felt that her attempts to wear multiple hats: trying to be the best female fighter in her division, while simultaneously trying to promote the UFC as much as she could, did hold her back from being the best fighter she could be.

“I mean I had to be everything to everyone to promote as hard as I trained and because I did that that’s why we got as far as we are today. And I didn’t just make it about me and my performances and picking and choosing my fights but when it would work the best for me,” he said.

Rousey, having promised Dana White that she would do ‘everything’ to popularize women’s MMA, felt immense pressure to come through on it. She felt that doing otherwise, or not giving her absolute best would be tantamount to her breaking her promise to the boss, which of course, she would never do. Even if it meant being overwhelmed and burned out, as unfortunately eventually happened.

“And that’s why we were so successful that’s why the sport had never been hotter and it was because of that work. And I promised Dana that that’s what I would do if he believed in me and he, you know, invested in me and brought me into the company. And I felt like if I did anything less, that that would have made me a liar,” he added. So done with combat sports is Rousey that she doesn’t even want to attend any events anymore.

‘Rowdy’ is not interested in even going to UFC events, except…

Having become the most well-known female fighter in the world, it was no surprise to see her go the WWE route following her MMA retirement. More show business than fighting, the formerly Vince McMahon-owned promotion is an easy way for many a popular former fighter to earn a paycheck. And while her WWE stint couldn’t live up to the heights of her UFC one, she did manage to become champion in both Raw and SmackDown, putting her in truly elite company. Now retired from the world’s largest combat sports promotions, the American is not even interested in attending any of their events.

The former champ felt that the days of her “putting on a hot dress” and hanging out with the fighters at UFC events were behind her since she was an “old lady”, who likes to sit at home and sip tea for recreation. However, the only reason she would actually want to attend another UFC event was if she was personally invested in a fight, which would happen if one of her children, or one of her students were to get into the UFC.

“If my kids want to fight, they would be absolutely incredible. That’s how my mom got dragged back into judo. She quit judo and then she never went to a tournament again. Then I got into it and she was very much involved again. So if my kids or if my kids from my dojo end up getting into it, then I would have a reason,” she said. What are your thoughts on Rousey’s comments?