Ronda Rousey Reveals Loss to Holly Holm led to Suicidal Thoughts

By Cheri Cheng - 16 Feb '16 15:39PM

Just days after Ronda Rousey's Sports Illustrated cover was released, the former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion fighter made some startling revelations,

Rousey spoke to Ellen DeGeneres on The Ellen DeGeneres Show about the UFC 193 against Holly Holm in Melbourne, Australia. After talking about how she felt throughout the fight, she revealed that immediately after her brutal lost to Holm, she thought about committing suicide.

"I was in the medical room and I was down in the corner," Rousey said while trying to hold back her tears. "I was sitting in the corner, and I was like, 'What am I anymore if I'm not this?' I was literally sitting there thinking about killing myself at that exact second. I was like, 'I'm nothing.' I'm like, 'What do I do anymore? No one gives a sh** about me anymore without this.'"

Rousey credits her boyfriend, UFC fighter Travis Browne, for being there for her.

"To be honest, I looked up and I saw my man Travis was standing there and I looked up at him and I was just like, 'I need to have his babies. I need to stay alive,'" Rousey said. "That was it...I don't know if I would have made it without him."

Rousey also had support from Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant, who told reporters during the NBA All-Stars Weekend, "I sent her several messages, so yes, we have touched base. That's what it's about. It's not about how you win. A true champion is about how you lose and come back from that. I told her, 'It's a beautiful thing.' That's what I told her. I said, 'To be a true champion sometimes you have to get knocked down.' It happens to the best of us. It happened with my Achilles (when I tore it), (Muhammad) Ali got put down several times - it happens to the best of us."

Although Rousey has not announced when she will be coming back to the sport, she did say that she wants her next fight to be against Holm, who will be defending her title at UFC 196 on March 5 in Las Vegas.

UFC President Dana White previously hinted Rousey could return in November. Rousey's trainer, Edmond Tarverdyan, revealed to ESPN last month that Rousey has already started training in her gym.