The Fall of Ronda Rousey and the pressure to perform

As 2016 was coming to an end over the weekend, Ronda Rousey, the blue-eyed blonde haired  queen of mixed martial arts, was set to make a comeback to reclaim the title–the UFC bantamweight (135 lbs) belt–she lost after Holly Holm knocked her out–and stunned millions of fans–with a vicious headkick. The loss rocked the MMA world and, moreover, shook Rousey to her core.
Before her loss to Holm, Rousey had risen to the top with her trademark “armbar,” earning an undefeated record and worldwide celebrity. After more than a year of mental and physical recovery, It was a move she sought to bring back on Friday night. But she was soundly defeated by the current champ, Amanda Nunes who delivered a demoralizing TKO in 48 seconds.

For many, this loss was also a surprise but not to the Noonan.

Noonan, my wife, can talk about MMA like any nacho-eating, beer drinking dude in a sports bar and she has an uncanny to know who will win the fight. Why? Because she can pick up on the emotional state of the fighters at their weigh-ins and walk-outs to the Octagon.

Nunes and Rousey at their weigh-in on 12/29/16

Seeing Rousey at the weigh-in, I thought she was ready to throw down; she looked lean, muscular, and menacing as ever. But, Noonan, said she was far from ready, in fact, she looked “scared”.

And, as usual, at least when it comes to the fight game, Noonan was right.

This got me thinking about the mental side of sports, the pressure to perform, and ultimately to win. When Rousey was undefeated, she could do no wrong. She was the face of the UFC, a male dominated sport, considered a”once-in-a-lifetime athlete,” and unbeatable. But, the loss to Holm changed all that, not only in the public eye, but in her own.

So after months of seclusion and more than a year away from competition, everyone wondered: Was Rousey really ready to step back into the octagon after losing 13 months ago? As it turned out, she was not.

So how do you get your mojo back from a devastating loss? And what does research tell us about pressure? More importantly, what is the best way to deal with loss and pressure in life?

I will tell you about what I find in the next entry. Till then, hope your New Year got off to a good start. ​

Dave Chun

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