Back in 2022, Kayla Harrison made a candid admission: “I don’t think we’re friends anymore.” The two-time Olympic gold medalist and MMA standout was talking about none other than Ronda Rousey—her former training partner and mentor. Once bonded like sisters through the grind of judo, their paths have long since diverged, both personally and professionally. Neither Harrison nor ‘Rowdy’ has ever publicly shared what caused the alleged rift. But what’s clear is that the respect they shared as young athletes has not faded. Over the years, fans and insiders alike have described their relationship as layered, sometimes warm, sometimes distant. Some even compare their dynamic to that of Dragon Ball Z’s Goku and Vegeta.

Rousey—two years Harrison’s senior and a trailblazer in women’s MMA—was once one of the judoka’s strongest pillars of support. And now, as the Ohio export gears up for her UFC return at UFC 316, their complex relationship is once again in the spotlight. In a resurfaced clip from the Overdogs Podcast from November 2024, Harrison opened up about the abuse she had suffered:

“I was se—lly abused by my first judo coach, and when I was 16, I finally told my mom what had been happening. She pressed charges, he spent 10 years in a federal prison, so that’s all good. But it took me years to really recover from that, and when I started getting some press for the Olympics, I started sharing my story.”

After which, she shed light on how Ronda stood for her in the worst of her times. “There was an online forum back in the day when I finally came out about my judo coach molesting me,” Kayla Harrison revealed. “People were arguing over whether 13 was the legal age or when it really started. And Ronda went on the forum and basically told everybody to shut the f–k up.”

Reflecting on their time together, the 135lbs title challenger shared how impactful and generous Rousey had been when she needed it most: “We were roommates when I first moved to Boston,” Harrison shared. “She was the only other girl training there. I went as a training partner for her to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She definitely brought out the best in me, I feel like. But this is also a girl—like, we were in Belgium, and I had maybe five dollars in my bank account—and she bought groceries and let me eat. So I’m never gonna say anything bad about Ronda.”

She didn’t hesitate to acknowledge just how much Ronda Rousey had meant to her during their early days in the sport. Harrison openly acknowledged that she “grew up under” the first UFC women’s champion. Back in 2008, ‘Doug’ was part of Rousey’s Olympic team, serving as her training partner for the Beijing Games. Rousey went on to win bronze, a moment that deeply inspired the two-time Olympic medalist and fueled her own journey.

Fast forward to today—’Rowdy’ has long since exited the MMA scene, but not before reshaping it entirely. Her dominance began in Strikeforce and carried into the UFC, where she broke barriers and brought global attention to women’s MMA. However, after suffering back-to-back losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes—and dealing with the effects of multiple concussions—she stepped away from the sport in 2016.

Ronda didn’t fade from the spotlight. Instead, she successfully transitioned to Hollywood and professional wrestling, making her WWE debut in 2017 and quickly establishing herself as a major star once again. She remained active in the ring until her retirement in 2023, which included a brief return to the independent wrestling scene. Since stepping away from competition, Ronda Rousey has shifted her focus to family life and recently celebrated the arrival of another child.

How many kids does Ronda Rousey have?

While wildfires raged across California in January, Ronda Rousey and her husband, Travis Browne, experienced a deeply personal moment of joy. On January 9, the WWE star took to social media to announce the birth of their second daughter. “Our little girl came into this world during a windstorm into a city on fire, so grateful she made it safe and sound,” ‘Rowdy’  wrote, alongside a tender photo of herself cradling the newborn.

Along with the announcement, she also revealed the baby’s name: Liko’ula Pā’ūomahinakaipiha Browne. Now, Liko’ula joins her older sister, La’akea Makalapuaokalanipō Browne, who was born in 2021. In addition to her two daughters, Rousey is also a devoted stepmother to Travis Browne’s sons, Kaleo and Keawe, from a previous marriage. Over the years, she’s spoken openly about her love for them, even referring to them as her own in a heartfelt social media post shared back in 2020.

Rousey and Browne exchanged vows in August 2017, celebrating their love with a stunning ceremony in Hawaii. Considering everything Ronda has achieved—Olympic medalist, UFC pioneer, WWE icon—it’s tough to argue against her being the most influential woman in MMA history. But what’s your take? Is ‘Rowdy’ truly the greatest female MMA star ever, or does someone else deserve that title? Share your thoughts below.