Ronda Rousey Says First UFC Fight Was More Historically Important Than WrestleMania 35 Main Event

Ronda Rousey made history alongside Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 35 back in April when the three competed in the first ever women's match that served as the WrestleMania main event. The match was a massive step forward for the WWE women's division, proving that women could be in the headlining match at the company's biggest event of the year while also being considered one of the best in-ring performances of the night. But while it was historically important, the former Raw Women's Champion said in an exclusive interview with UFC's Megan Olivi this week that she felt she was part of a much bigger moment for female athletes several years prior.

Back in November 2012 UFC president Dana White officially announced that the first women's division would be added to the promotion, with Rousey (the undefeated Strikeforce Bantamweight Champion at the time) being awarded the UFC Bantamweight Championship as the company's first female signee.

Rousey competed in the first-ever women's UFC fight at UFC 157 in February 2013. Despite having her jaw dislocated during the fight, Rousey managed to beat her opponent Liz Carmouche via her armbar submission in the opening round, marking her first of six successful title defense.

"[The WrestleMania main event] felt big, it's just, I think it has to do with the time and the perspective. Me and Liz Carmouch felt bigger, to me," Rousey said. "Even though it was years ago and not as many people watched, and it was at the Honda Center which maybe holds 16-20 thousand, compared to WrestleMania where it was in front of 80,000 people and millions of people watching, I just felt like me and Carmouch was the most pivotal moment. Like everything had to happen that way, or else Women's MMA would've ended before it started.

"With WrestleMania it just felt like all the stars were aligned and the universe was conspiring for us to suceed," she continued. "And I had not a single doubt in my mind that we would. But for Carmouche it was so many outside factors like the numbers had to do well, I had to win the match but I had to win the match in an exciting way and there were so many other different factors I had to worry about. And I felt like the stakes were higher in a way, even though the venue and the audience was smaller."

Rousey would go on to finish her UFC career with a 12-2 record and was the first female fighter to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.

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