When Ronda Rousey signed with the UFC back in 2012, she shattered barriers for women in the sport by becoming the first female fighter to sign with the organization. Becoming the inaugural bantamweight champion was just the beginning for ‘Rowdy’. She went on an undefeated streak that lasted until 2015. During this time, Rousey became one of the most recognizable stars in the sport, dominating her opponents with first-round finishes reminiscent of Mike Tyson’s aura during his prime.

But everything changed when ‘Rowdy’ faced her first loss to Holly Holm, followed by another defeat to Amanda Nunes. This dramatic turn of events led Joe Rogan to dive into why stars like Rousey and Conor McGregor get hit with such intense backlash when their invincible aura cracks. In a past episode of the JRE podcast, Rogan explained how quickly the public’s perception can turn negative when these larger-than-life figures stumble and the reason behind the hostility from a particular section of the fandom.

Joe Rogan came to Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor’s defense against “ruthless” fans  

Despite setting records for the most consecutive title defenses in UFC women’s bantamweight division history and earning a spot in the UFC Hall of Fame in 2018, Ronda Rousey’s post-UFC career hasn’t been easy. In a conversation with Dan Pena on the JRE episode no. 929, Joe Rogan had shed some light on this phenomenon that has affected other prominent names in the sport, as well.

The podcast host stated, “There’s all these people that are waiting for you to fall, there’s a lot of people out there that don’t have much confidence. And when they see someone who’s out there, who’s got a lot of confidence, it’s very compelling.”

Rogan used the examples of stars like Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor, who are known for their magnetic personas and supreme confidence. Rogan then added, “But those people, when that person loses, they’re the first ones to attack. They’re like, yeah you f**king loser, I knew you were a loser. Like you go to Ronda Rousey’s Instagram page and read the comments under her pictures, it’s ruthless. Some f**king a**holes.”

According to the host of the JRE, these critics are either young kids who don’t understand the impact of their words or unaccomplished adults seizing a chance to bring someone down. “Or they’re a bunch of f**king losers and they’re finding this opportunity to sh*t on someone who was this incredible bright shining star that fizzled out”, the UFC color commentator pointed out.

Despite the criticism, Ronda Rousey’s place in the UFC’s history remains undeniable. However, ‘Rowdy’ has confessed that she still won’t attend any UFC shows in the future because of the fans still being against her!

Rousey doesn’t feel welcome in the UFC anymore

After suffering two brutal back-to-back losses against Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, Ronda Rousey retired from the sport of MMA in 2016. But with the end of her undefeated streak, also came a torrent of hate from the fandom, and the former UFC star believes it will continue if she ever steps foot into a UFC arena now.

In an honest confession on the ‘High Performance’ podcast on YouTube, Rousey revealed, ” Everything that could be said that was negative was said, and I feel really vilified by MMA media at this point and not really welcome back… I’m pretty sure if I walked into the arena, I’d be booed. That’s how it feels. ” Despite giving her all to the sport, Rousey also revealed that the negative responses did take an emotional toll on her as she stated, “I realize it was enough for me, but not enough for people on the outside.”

The revelation by ‘Rowdy’ is a stark reminder of how quickly public perception can change and the emotional toll it can take on even the strongest individuals. As Joe Rogan mentioned, the burden of the negativity from the fans can quickly overshadow their incredible accomplishments and the sacrifices they make to reach the pinnacle of their sport. What are your thoughts on the shift in perceptions surrounding Ronda Rousey after her undefeated run ended? Let us know in the comments below!