Ronda Rousey Reveals Why She Stayed Silent on Head Trauma Post-MMA Transition

Ronda Rousey, whom left WWE after SummerSlam 2023, is among the most renowned female athletes in the world of combat sports. She recently addressed concerns regarding cumulative neurological injuries in combat athletes, highlighting an often-overlooked issue in MMA.

During a recent interview with Shakiel Mahjouri for SHAK MMA, Rousey shared her personal experience, noting that she began suffering concussions as early as six years old and continued to experience them multiple times a year. Due to the culture in fighting sports, the former WWE superstar explained that athletes are discouraged from showing any weakness or discussing such injuries.

“Cumulative neurological injury is just something that people don’t talk about in MMA, which is something that also everyone is dealing with at a different pace. And I started dealing with it at six years old, I started getting concussions. Kept getting concussions regularly, you know, multiple times a year and not being allowed to speak up or say anything about it. As a fighter, you’re just not supposed to show any weakness or talk about things like that.”

Furthermore, Ronda Rousey also spoke about her transition from UFC to WWE, mentioning that the stigma surrounding concussions and neurological injuries persisted in her new career. She felt compelled to remain silent on the subject until she was finished with her wrestling career. Rousey emphasized the importance of more fighters speaking openly about head trauma, as the longevity and health of athletes depend on addressing these issues.

“I wanted to move on to another realm that also had a lot of stigma with concussions and neurological injury. And because I wanted to move on to do something else, it also forced my silence on the subject until I was done with that. … I wish that more people would [open up about head trauma] because the longevity of our fighters is at stake.”

The Baddest Woman on the Planet also recently addressed a potential UFC comeback. Moreover, Rousey finally speaking more candidly about head trauma issues for the sake of upcoming fighters could possibly make them more aware of them and take proper health precautions at the right time for their own longevity in the combat sports world.

What are your thoughts on Ronda Rousey’s reason for remaining silent on head trauma issues after the end of her wrestling career? Do you think she did the right thing by staying quiet all these years? Sound off in the comments!