Ronda Rousey overcame gruesome injury to make UFC history with submission win 12 years ago
12 years ago this week, Ronda Rousey made her UFC debut and changed MMA history forever as she became the first-ever female athlete to win a fight in the promotion.
In February 2013, a very special UFC event was held in Anaheim, California – headlined by former Strikeforce champion Ronda Rousey and popular veteran Liz Carmouche.
Ronda Rousey made history as the first-ever female UFC winner
After Zuffa LLC purchased Strikeforce in 2011, Ronda Rousey made her promotional debut in the main event of UFC 147 against Carmouche.
Whilst Rousey was widely expected to walk through ‘Girl-Rilla’ with relative ease, her first-ever fight under the bright lights of the UFC banner couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start.
Within 40 seconds of the very first round, Carmouche would expertly reverse Rousey as they scrambled against the side of the cage and found herself riding the back of her heavily favored foe.
“I rushed this takedown, I was trying to rush to put everything in,” Rousey later explained in a watch-back interview with the Los Angeles Times.
“I had the option to pull her into my guard or stand up and give up my back. And since the guard is one of Carmouche’s best positions, I felt that giving up my back was a better [option].”