Matt Brown thinks it’s about time for Ronda Rousey to turn a new leaf.
When we talk about falls from grace in MMA, it doesn’t get much worse than the story of Rousey. The former women’s UFC Bantamweight Champion paved the way for women’s MMA and their eventual introduction to the world stage, but despite her accomplishments as a fighting pioneer, Rousey has been met with much hate for how she handled the back-end of her career.
After racking up six title fight victories in three years, Rousey finally ran into some competition against Holly Holm in 2015, who halted her reign by headkick KO at UFC 193. Then, Amanda Nunes retired the former champ in her return at UFC 207 a year later in 2016.
Brown To Rousey: “You Don’t Want To Go Around Living That Way”
Rousey has largely kept quiet about her UFC downfall in recent years but changed her tune in her new book, ‘Our Fight’, where she details concussion struggles, her battle vs. the world and more. Rousey recently stated she felt ‘vilified’ by MMA media in how they portrayed her and that she personally wouldn’t feel welcome attending a live UFC event nowadays.
Newly-retired UFC Welterweight Brown says Rousey shouldn’t have to feel this way and that ‘Rowdy’ can still start anew, regardless of what may have come before.
“I got way more losses than Ronda. I fought a lot more times than Ronda. But, you don’t want to go around living that way, like blaming other people for the way your life is or the way that you’re portrayed,” Brown told MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin.
‘She Could Reconcile Everything’
Rousey once had a career whose starpower was once in the same stratosphere as Conor McGregor. We’re talking pay-per-view headliners, acting roles, WWE crossovers… you name it – Rousey probably had it. But, nothing ever lasts forever and it’s a rather quiet farm life for Rousey and her family now as they reap the rewards of their fighting past.
Though, as Brown points out, Rousey could turn it all around in the public eye, given the right team behind her, of course.
“I don’t doubt for a second that she could reconcile everything,” Brown said of Rousey’s image, which is still disrespected to this day. “She could walk in and just show a little bit of humility and everybody would be bowing down to her again. If she would hire a PR person, you know? Like, just hire a halfway decent PR person. Tell you what to say. Just say, and the world is yours again. Like, you’re back at the top of the celebrity list.”
Brown Says Rousey Has Made A Habit Out Of Pushing People Away
However, the response from her new book wasn’t perfect with many still wanting Rousey to ‘own up’ for her two losses against Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes instead of blaming it on other circumstances outside the fight itself.
“But no one, no one, wants to hear what she’s saying. She doesn’t realize that. I think most of the MMA world wants to love her. Like, she’s a perfect…. what would you call it? Like, role model? Not role model, but statue type – a perfect figure for us all to love and attach to. She has all of the right qualities, but she pushes us away. I say us like, I’m not a fighter anymore, right? Like even me, she pushed me away. She pushes that away from her.
“I think every fan wants to love her,” Brown suggested.
If that’s the case, the MMA community certainly has a weird way of showing it.
Matt Brown says Ronda Rousey doesn't realize the MMA community "wants to love her," but "she pushes us away."
"I don’t doubt for a second that she could reconcile everything. Like she could walk in and show a little bit of humility."
(via @DamonMartin) pic.twitter.com/Kk8hE9NUXs
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) May 28, 2024
