5 UFC legends who retired after a loss

#5 Ronda Rousey

Ronda Rousey's loss to Amanda Nunes was the last time we saw her in the UFC

Perhaps no other UFC legend had as quick a downfall as Ronda Rousey. The former UFC Women’s Bantamweight champion went from being the biggest and most bankable star in the promotion in mid-2015 to retired in December 2016 following her two losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes. It felt like ‘Rowdy Ronda’ simply couldn’t deal with the fallout from those losses and chose to walk away instead.

Her loss to Nunes, in particular, was crushing; while her loss to Holm had been a devastating knockout, there was still the feeling amongst a lot of fans that she’d simply made the error of having too much confidence in her striking game, and if she went back to the judo-based style that had given her so much success – including 6 straight UFC title defenses – she could get back to the top.

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Against Nunes though, she was never given the chance. Once again attempting to stand with her opponent, Nunes simply destroyed her with a flurry of punches in the first minute of the opening round. Such a terrible loss was always going to be hard to bounce back from, and so it didn’t really come as a surprise when her retirement was announced in 2017 – along with her move to WWE. Rousey has since been inducted into the UFC’s Hall of Fame – a fine endorsement of her legendary career prior to her two losses.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Vikshith R