Ronda Rousey's first knockout win was somewhat spoiled by post-fight debate over the stoppage.
The UFC Hall of Famer began her professional MMA career with eight straight armbar submission victories to claim world championships in Strikeforce and the UFC.
'Rowdy' started working on her striking and it paid off when she defended her bantamweight belt against Olympic silver medalist Sara McCann at UFC 170 in February 2014.
Ronda Rousey hit her opponent with a brutal knee to the stomach and their fight was waved off after just 66 seconds.
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
The break between Ronda Rousey and Sara McMann divides viewers
As soon as McCann fell to the ground holding her midriff, referee Herb Dean called it a TKO.
However, the beaten competitor immediately gave the referee a look that suggested she could continue.
McCann kept it classy as she politely disagreed with Dean's decision to jump in so quickly during the UFC 170 main event.
“Looking back, it seemed kind of quick on the screen,” she told MMAjunkie after the fight.
“In my head in the cage, things slow down a little bit. I felt it connect, and my body just flew to protect itself. I heard it [Dean’s] voice, and I immediately tried to get back up.
“I'm not going to blame a referee for something that I think I should be able to control. I should get up faster. If you want to win fights, you just have to do it no matter what is going on.”
Dana White immediately shut down talk of a controversial strike when he addressed the media.
“Listen, guys, I've been in this business a long time. I've seen that happen with Oscar de la Hoya and many other great fighters,” the UFC boss said.
“You get hit in the body like that, and regular people who have never been hit in the body have no idea what that feels like. Believe me when I tell you that.
'She got down on her knees and turned her head the other way. Could Herb have let her take a few shots in the face? Certainly. But when the fight happened and I saw it, I said, 'Oh man.'
“And then I watched the replay. When I watched the replay I thought it was a good stoppage.”
Naturally, Rousey agreed with White's assessment of the first knockout win of her career.
“I didn't think it was too early,” she said. “I would have continued if someone hadn't stopped me. But it's not my decision. That's why they have a referee there to make sure no one gets hurt more than necessary.
“I promised my coach this time that I would drop her with a body shot. We called it. We trained a lot on it. That was a goal I had in this fight. I don't like mentioning it and saying it to the media. But I promised my coach that I was really going to try. I'm glad I did that.”
Will Ronda Rousey ever fight again?
Rousey retired after a brutal knockout loss to Amanda Nunes in December 2016.
She has since been linked with a comeback fight after walking away from MMA at the age of 29.
In 2024, Rousey released a health update that had a definitive impact on her future in combat sports.
“Every few years … the same rumor comes out,” she said.
“It's nice to feel missed, I guess. But it doesn't happen. I am no longer neurologically capable of competing at the highest level. I just can't do it.
“You just get to a level where the neurological injuries you sustain accumulate over time. They don't get better.”
“When I started MMA, I already had dozens of concussions that I trained through. I didn't even stop for it. So that was about a decade of having concussion symptoms more often than not.
“So when I started MMA, I played a game without mistakes. Then it got to the point where I was fighting more often than anyone else. I had more responsibilities outside of battle than anyone, and it just needed to get lighter, and lighter hits were hurting me more and more.
“I got to the point where I couldn't take a shot without getting dazed, without getting concussion symptoms. It got to a point where it was no longer safe for me to fight. I just couldn't keep fighting at that higher level.”
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