If Ronda Rousey were to disappear into obscurity tomorrow, she would still go down as one of the most influential sports figures of all time. Rousey’s a character that you only need to listen to for a few seconds to realize that she’s another level. A superior level. Both physically and mentally. Her mental toughness was developed at a young age, having had problems with her speech as a child. This, along with being the daughter of a legendary Olympian Judoka shaped her into the person she is today. A champion.

For me, her fight career is secondary to what she represents. She has personified the American dream through perseverance and hard-work. Her “never say die” attitude is something that will go on to inspire anyone who cares to watch and listen to her.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAY2XIr1hU4

On August 1^st 2015, she faced Bethe Correia, an aggressively brash competitor and undefeated Brazilian that talked the talk and, prior to this fight, seemingly walked the walk. She dismantled two of Rousey’s close friends in Shayna Baszler and Jessamyn Duke. This, along with her controversial trash-talk (which Rousey claimed to allude to Rousey’s father’s suicide) made this fight simply unmissable.

Another factor in this fight was the fact that Rousey decided to fight Correia in her native Brazil. Brazil is incredibly nationalistic, and when UFC fighters from outside Brazil fight there, the crowd often chant “Uh vai morrer”, which is Portuguese for “You’re going to die”. It’s also worth noting that it’s not customary for a champion to fight the challenger in the challenger’s home country. Put yourself in Rousey’s shoes; How thrilled would you be about walking through a crowd that wished for your death? Doesn’t sound pleasant, right? Ronda Rousey isn’t a normal human being though, and seemingly those variables didn’t do anything to her confidence.

The main talking points of the fight were three fold; Firstly, Ronda Rousey’s entrance was one of the most terrifying things I’ve ever seen. I’m not one for putting much merit into “psyching out” an opponent by a fight entrance, but this was something reminiscent of Mike Tyson’s entrance for his Leon Spinks fight. The reception she received sounded similar to a Justin Bieber concert (personally I’m not a fan of the Biebs), which seemingly rattled Correia. As she arrived to the cage, it was apparent Correia’s confidence had waned.

Another talking point was the strategy Rousey implemented. She usually fights with the strategy of forcing her opponent to grapple with her. Rousey’s Olympic pedigree in judo makes her impossible train for and defend against, therefore she usually exploits her world-class Judo skill-set. In this fight however her approach was reminiscent of legendary Brazilian MMA legend “Wanderlei Silva”, in that her focus was on winging as many punches toward her opponent’s head as she could, without having much technique behind them. She got hit, but she hit more, totally disregarding the risk of being damaged by her opponent.

The third talking point was the spectacular finish to the fight. Rousey delivered a crisp two-punch combination to Correia’s head, which left her faceplanted on the mat, in the very first round. The word “devastating” is overused in combat sports, but for this occasion, i’d say it’s the perfect description. As the referee pulled Rousey away from Corriea, she was heard sarcastically saying “don’t cry” to her unconscious opponent, adding insult to injury and putting a stamp on the fight. Not only did she beat Correia at her own game, but she looked menacing doing it. And not only did she knock out an undefeated and highly touted challenger, but she also put the rest of the division on watch. I think the lesson here is, don’t make Ronda Rousey mad.

Similar to Conor McGregor, Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, King Kong and even Jesus Christ, she’s a polarizing character. With regards to her competition, she dominates on a regular basis. Think about this; she hasn’t once come close to being vulnerable to defeat, something that is rare in a sport with so many ways to lose. She has not only advanced the fight game, but she’s also a vehicle for female empowerment through her achievements inside and outside the cage. I think she’s undoubtedly one of the most inspirational characters of the 21^st centaury, and at 28 years old, she’s really only getting started.