Ronda Rousey is fierce and scary in the eyes of most. However, make no mistake about it, Rousey does have a soft spot and such was apparent when the reigning UFC Women’s bantamweight champion left her belt in Brazil.
Rousey did make a promise to leave her belt at a special place in Brazil after her fight with Bethe Correia at UFC 190. Rousey made short work of Correia in just 34 seconds of the first round after unloading a flurry of punches that eventually knocked out the PitBull.
True to her word, Rousey fulfilled her promise and left her belt at the Instituto Reacao, a judo school and special project owned by former Olympic bronze medalist Flavio Canto.
Rousey’s belt is the second gift that the champ has handed to the said institute. Back in March, Rousey also handed them a $30,000 check. She actually paid a visit to the judo school last September where she taught a couple of classes to kids who are under the special project upped by Canto.
The UFC champ is a known judoka, having started with the martial art when she was just 11 years old.
In 2004, Rousey became the youngest judoka to compete in the 2014 Olympic Games held in Athens, Greece while also winning a gold medal at the World Junior Judo Championships held in Budapest.
Rousey’s plan of leaving her belt was apparently her intent even before UFC 190, acknowledging Correia’s earlier rant that the UFC belt deserves to be in Brazil.
Correia said that with the belief that she would win and snag the title from Rousey. Though the PitBull didn’t win over Rousey, half of her intent was practically fulfilled when Rousey took the liberty of handing the UFC belt to a group of students.
“I’ve decided that after I win (at UFC 190), I’m going to make sure that when I have the belt, and I won’t take it home with me,” she said this past week. “I’m going to give it and make sure that it stays someplace in Brazil as my gift.”
Call it a class act if you will, it shows the soft side of Rousey despite carrying a toughie persona around the UFC.
As far as her next fight is concerned, two names are being mentioned as possible opponents. One is Miesha Tate, someone she has already fought twice, and possibly Cris Justino if they can come to terms on the catchweight.