Ronda Rousey: Losing Could Be ‘The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me’

Maybe losing to Holly Holm wasn’t the worst thing to happen to Ronda Rousey after all.

You’d be forgiven if you thought otherwise. In the aftermath of UFC 193, Rousey all but disappeared, then resurfaced with an Ellen DeGeneres interview in which she revealed she felt worthless and even contemplated suicide. Her sister also said a part of Rousey “died” in the Octagon that night and admitted her soul was crushed. All the signs pointed to her being devastated, not upbeat about the direction her career was heading.

Now that she’s had several months to reflect on her shocking defeat, though, Rousey’s perspective has changed significantly. While at Reebok’s Luncheon for Inspirational Women earlier this week, she mentioned how everything happens for a reason and that she may look back on this being the best thing to happen to her several years down the road.

“When it comes to challenges, I honestly believe that things happen for a reason,” Rousey said. “At the time, yes, it’s hard on a personal [and] emotional level, and it’s hard to look past what’s happening to the future, but you have to believe in yourself – because down the line in two, five, ten years’ time, you’ll look back and think that was actually the best thing that ever happened to me.”

We may even see Rousey back in action this year, too. She’s expected to get a shot at winning back her Bantamweight title in the fall by taking on Miesha Tate for a third time. And who knows, it might even take place at Madison Square Garden, now that MMA is on the verge of being legal in New York. UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta certainly isn’t the only person who’d like to see that happen.