Ronda Rousey Loss: Former Champion Has Changed Her Tune Regarding Her Defeat By Holly Holm

The Ronda Rousey loss against Holly Holm was devastating for the six-time UFC female bantamweight champion, and it caused widespread speculation among the MMA community about whether or not Rousey possesses what it takes for a comeback, but Ronda has recently changed her tune about her loss against the 35-year-old veteran fighter Holm.

The Ronda Rousey loss on November 14, 2015 seems to no longer have the power, as it once did, to crush the former champion’s spirits, as Rousey claims she now views the defeat as a positive aspect of her fighting career, according to Yahoo Sports.

“Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) star Ronda Rousey has revealed that her brutal knockout loss to Holly Holm, when she surrendered her bantamweight title, last November was a blessing in disguise.

“The California-born fighter is returning to the octagon for the first time since her loss last year and despite rivals questioning her mental state after her knockout, the fighter believes the loss helped her evolve as a person.”

Despite the fact that the infamous Ronda Rousey loss was to Holly Holm, the 29-year-old mixed martial artist says when she faces Amanda Nunes in Las Vegas on December 30 she intends to bring “revenge” and “redemption” into the octagon with her.

Winning is still of mega importance to Rousey, however, as a recent ESPN interview can attest to.

“What makes me happy is winning and being the best in the world and that’s it,” Ronda told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. “F**k all the promotion and energy spent on anything that’s not me winning.”

Will her passion to win override Nunes’ passion?

The possibility of a second Ronda Rousey loss is on the mind of UFC legend Chuck Liddell, who despite his doubts about the Nunes fight will be rooting for “The Rowdy” to prevail on December 30, according to news.com.au.

During an interview with TMZ, Liddell attributed Rousey’s shaky mental state following the Holm loss as the main reason he questions if she will be able to pull off a win against “The Lioness” Amanda Nunes.

“I wouldn’t take the chance on her being recovered from all the mental stuff. Amanda Nunes is a tough, tough opponent,” Liddell said.

Chuck added that if he were Ronda’s coach, he would have pushed for her to ease herself back into the fighting game by agreeing to a “smaller fight” with a lower-ranking fighter instead of going for the gold right away with Nunes.

Liddell also finds it troubling that following Ronda Rousey’s loss to Holm, the once unbeatable bantamweight wasn’t insisting on a rematch immediately, as he believes that’s what a mentally strong person would have done.

Predictions for the Rousey, Nunes fight are mixed. According to Bleacher Report, the outcome of the matchup has everything to do with Ronda’s state of mind. If her hankering for the belt is strong enough, she’ll win; if not, she’ll claim another loss.

“If Rousey, as the UFC is implying, returns angrier and hungrier than ever, it will likely lead to a fairly dominant win for her. If she doesn’t? Nunes could truck right through Rousey inside a round.”

The official Bleacher Report prediction is a Rousey victory during the second round by submission. The type of submission is not specified, but she is known for submitting her opponents by armbar.

A second Ronda Rousey loss will happen on December 30 according to current bantamweight champ Amanda Nunes, who has predicted that she will beat Rousey via knockout during the first round. Challenger Ronda reacted to this prediction while appearing on the late night talk show Conan, as reported by Daily Mail.

“‘Well she kind of has to say that because everyone knows she gasses out in the second so she has to tell herself that,’ Rousey said.”

At this time, Rousey herself has not made any specific predictions on the outcome of her matchup against Nunes.

Is another Ronda Rousey loss in the cards for the former reigning UFC champ, or has she healed enough in body and mind to reclaim the title she lost just over a year ago? The only sure way to know is to tune in to the fight on December 30.

[Featured Image by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images]