Ronda Rousey Says She’s The ‘Best to Ever Do It’, Thanks Gina Carano & More

Ronda Rousey has released her first post-fight statement following her MMA win over Gina Carano over the weekend. As noted the UFC and WWE alumna made her return to the cage to face off against the returning Carano, picking up the win in just 17 seconds. Rousey said after that she was done, while Carano seemed potentially open to another fight.

Rousey posted to her Instagram on Tuesday to write a lengthy statement about her return. She spoke about the desire she had to step back in the cage, specifically against Carano, and how the fight came together. Rousey expressed gratitude to most everyone involved with the show but particularly Carano. You can see highlights from the statement below:

On The Leadup to the Fight:

“I’ve been putting off this post-fight post because I think I’ve been procrastinating admitting that it’s really over. This fight, the year and a half of training that went into it, and even the promotion was more fulfilling than I ever could have imagined. “At 9 months pregnant, when I saw Gina experiencing a low similar to what I endured, I knew she had it in her to pull herself out of it. And just like when I saw her fight for the first time, I thought, ‘Well, if she can do it, I can too.’ Professional wrestling helped me move on from my past in MMA but Gina is the one who gave me a reason to confront it.

“Me and Gina literally fought to fight each other. I kept hearing people say ‘She’s not serious’ and ‘She can’t lose the weight,’ but I didn’t just want to come back to fight, I HAD to come back to fight HER. The story we could tell together was one I desperately needed to believe. That you’re never too low to rise again, that your body is never too far gone to reclaim, and that it’s never too late to be better than you’ve ever been. When there were a few hiccups at the finish line getting her contract done, I just said, ‘F**k it let’s meet up’ and we hammered out all the issues together over a bottle of wine (well, actually she had martinis, I smoked a blunt and also had the wine — don’t worry we had designated drivers) and got the deal done ourselves.”

On Carano:

“Her bravery astounded me, at her lowest point she set her highest goal—to lose 100 lbs and take on the baddest bitch on the planet! What I never could have expected was seeing how that woman transformed over the following year would give me as much joy as my own transformation. Every time I saw her she was stronger, more confident, more beautiful than ever — not because she was losing the weight but because that light she had lost was growing brighter and brighter.”

On Her Own Journey:

“As the same time I was peeling back the layers of my own walls I’d put up and rediscovering a world that was so ingrained in the fabric of my soul but was too proud to admit I needed. I love MMA, I love judo, pro wrestling, fight choreography, acting and writing — but I am before anything else a martial artist. I’m better at MMA than I ever was at anything else — and f**k who this may offend, but I am the best to have ever done it and nothing can compare to the experience of creating within my craft.

“I am the one fortunate enough to experience that level of mastery and I’ll never let anyone shame me away from embracing it ever again. The joy of being in this camp and falling back into my skill again and seeing the shock on the faces of my coaches and training partners watching me create s*8t no one’s ever seen on the spot, watching me tap out some of the best in the world up to five times a round during sparring, having people to teach me and exchange that knowledge with almost childlike enthusiasm was incomparable. It healed my soul.

On Putting the Show Together:

“Then there was the process of putting this card together. Naiksa was a believer, a partner and just a solid f**king friend from day one. Jake gave all his support and always treated me with the utmost respect. My dream card was to share the top spot with Nate and Francis and due to Nakisa’s hard work and Netflix’s belief in our cause we were able to secure the funds to make it possible. Perhaps the most heart touching aspect of this process was experiencing the humility of both Francis and Nate sharing the top of the card with myself and each other.

“The card went from just an idea to an embodiment of hope in the sport. Watching a superstar be born in Mike Perry, seeing Philipe’s courage stepping up to the challenge (and the camaraderie of Francis giving him his performance bonus). Despaign commanding respect returning from Combat Karate, Parnaasse making s statement across the world from home, Jason Jackson’s dichotomy of exuding such warmth outside the cage and cold efficiency within it. I could go on and on, EVERY fighter reserves a mention — it felt like a night for those who were told they overvalued themselves or weren’t valuable enough were standing together to make a statement. ‘This is OUR cage. We belong here. We put it all on the line, and we deserve to be fairly compensated for it.'”

On Her Final Thoughts:

“The fight is over. It’s bittersweet because, for the first time, the experience of preparing for the fight eclipsed the joy any victory could have brought. But I’m finally ready to move on, this time with my head held high.”

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