Former UFC superstar Ronda Rousey is dishing details on her relationship with ex-heavyweight standout Brendan Schaub.
Currently, Rousey is married to another former heavyweight fighter with the promotion — Travis Browne. But before the two became an item, ‘Rowdy’ spent some time dating Schaub, and based on what she wrote in her latest tell-all book, Our Fight: A Memoir, things were never great between the two.
Rousey has remained mostly tight-lipped regarding her relationship with Schaub, though he has been more than willing to talk about his time shacking up with the women’s MMA pioneer. That made it pretty easy for fight fans to decipher who she was talking about in her book despite never referring to Schaub by his name.
“Travis had been training with us for a while when it was announced that his first fight as an official member of our team would be against my ex-boyfriend,” Rousey wrote. “My ex thrived on playing f*cked-up mind games with me when I had a fight coming up and insisted we hide that we were dating so he wouldn’t be labeled ‘Ronda Rousey’s Boyfriend.’”
Despite her Best Efforts, Ronda Rousey Couldn’t Hold Back Her Elation
Browne was matched up with Schaub at UFC 181 in 2014 and promptly put away the comedian/podcaster in the opening round. Though Rousey tried to keep her composure, she couldn’t help but celebrate after seeing Schaub being beaten into unconsciousness.
“As Travis headed into the match up, I pretended it wasn’t personal,” Rousey continued. “I tried not to be overly involved or emotional. This wasn’t my fight. I was hoping he would win, but I was in training camp, so I didn’t really think too much more about it. That is until it was on live TV, and I lost my goddamn mind. Screaming at the top of my lungs, ‘Get him, Travis!’ while punching the arm of the person on the couch next to me.”
8 years ago today, Travis Browne retired Brendan Schaub
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) December 6, 2022
Schaub ended up retiring from MMA a year later, making his lopsided to Browne the last fight of his career.
“When Travis knocked him out at the end of the first round, I didn’t think it could get any more gratifying,” Rousey said. “My ex covered up on the ground while Travis pounded away on him. The referee waved the match over. Then Travis, towering over the crumpled, semi-conscious body of my ex, leaned down and whispered something in his ear. His words were indiscernible to the camera, but I swore I could hear Travis’ voice saying, ‘Ronda says f—k you.’”
