Ronda Rousey is considered one of the greatest female mixed martial artists in history after a movie-worthy journey to the top. The American has won Olympic medals, UFC belts and WWE titles, but at one point found herself homeless before rising to the summit of the combat sport world. Rouse clinched a judo bronze medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, before embarking on a trailblazing MMA career.
After retiring from UFC in 2016, Rousey then enjoyed a stint in professional wrestling. Despite her unprecedented success in sport, though, Rousey’s journey to the top was not always smooth sailing. A particularly difficult period came after the Olympics in 2008, when Rousey was forced to live in her car.
Now 37 years old, Rousey has overcome such setbacks with astonishing resilience and is now a sporting icon, making millions from her exploits in the ring and lucrative endorsement deals. Born on February 1, 1987, Rousey was introduced to judo by her mother, AnnMaria De Mars, who herself was a world champion in the sport. Rousey honed her skills under AnnMaria’s guidance until she was 13, stopping after she accidentally broke her mother’s wrist.
At 17, Rousey qualified for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, but lost in her first match in the 63 kilogram bracket to eventual silver medallist Claudia Heill. Rousey moved up to 70kg shortly after and became one of the top three women in the world in the category. She entered the Beijing 2008 Olympics as a determined and formidable co.
