Ronda Rousey is famous for launching women’s mixed martial arts (MMA) onto the world’s stage as she became the first women’s Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champion.
Rousey’s childhood was difficult. Her biological father took his own life in 1995 after learning he would be a paraplegic after breaking his back while sledding with his daughters. She also suffered from apraxia, a condition marked by difficulties saying sounds, syllables, and words, and could not form clear sentences until she was six.
When Ronda was born, her umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck, and she suffered a lack of oxygen, which resulted in slight brain damage. Doctors believe that is what caused her speech difficulties. Rousey also had challenges at school, so she was homeschooled for part of elementary and high school.
Needless to say, Ronda’s difficulties during childhood caused a lot of frustration.
That changed, however, when her mother, AnnMaria De Mars, convinced her to learn judo. Her mom took the gold medal for judo at the 1984 World Championships, and Rousey instantly took to the sport. This was an excellent outlet, as it helped her manage her frustrations. At 15, Ronda made the 2004 US Olympic team; at 16, she became the youngest American to achieve the No. 1 ranking in the women’s half-middleweight division. Although she didn’t take the gold at the Olympic games, she did at the World’s Junior and Pan American Judo Championships (in the same year as the Olympics).
Rousey was the first American woman to win a World Championship medal in 12 years; she took second at the 2007 tournament. She returned to the Olympics in 2008, won the bronze, and retired from judo when she was just 21.
Fast forward a few years, and Ronda joined the Glendale Fighting Club, making her amateur debut in MMA in 2010. She dominated the sport, taking out opponent after opponent. She took four wins in a row in less than a minute – an unbelievable accomplishment. Ronda became Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion in 2012. After several victories, she became the first woman to sign with the UFC, the largest MMA league in the world, where she was designated the Bantamweight Champion.
In 2018, the UFC announced that Ronda Rousey would become the first female Hall of Famer, an incredible accomplishment. In the same year, she joined World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where she had a great run until she broke her hand. Soon after, she announced that she would be stepping away from the ring to start a family with her husband and fellow UFC fighter, Travis Brown.
Rousey has starred alongside Hollywood A-listers such as Dwayne Johnson and Mark Wahlberg in "The Expendables," "Furious 7," "Entourage," and "Mile 22." In addition, she had a role in season 3 of "9-1-1," a TV drama series.
Ronda has had an action-packed life. While she may be retired, she’s still active, but her days aren’t as jam-packed as they once were. Here’s a look at the most famous female fighter’s daily routine.
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Mornings
Rousey’s physique is very important to her, which is understandable. Therefore, diet and exercise are a top priority.
After waking up, she eats a nourishing breakfast. One of her favorite breakfast dishes is a chia bowl and freshly brewed coffee mixed with grass-fed butter and coconut oil.
After breakfast, she gets in a workout session. Typically, she does some judo, swimming, conditioning, striking, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. She also does stair exercises.
Rousey usually works out for about 4 hours per day and does between 6 to 12 sessions each week.
Afternoons
After a long workout session, Ronda recharges the afternoon with a healthy lunch. Her favorite lunch is a mixture of organic tomatoes, mushrooms, avocados, cinnamon, and butter.
Following lunch, Ronda gets in another training session, this time shifting to weightlifting. She can lift an impressive 150 pounds.
In addition to exercise, the afternoon is when she might spend some time working on her garden (one of her favorite pastimes).
Evenings
At about 7 p.m., Rousey eats another nourishing meal. Her favorite meal for dinner is a mixture of red onion and red pepper, asparagus, and cayenne pepper. She also loves hot wings and can eat up to 50 of them after a match!
After dinner, she may play video games or add a dance session before heading to bed.
