Ronda Rousey is an American professional wrestler, actress, and former MMA competitor and judoka who has a net worth of $14 million. Ronda Rousey was one of the most popular and successful female MMA fighters of all time, she has since transitioned into a WWE star and actress.
Ronda first gained international attention as a judoka, winning a bronze medal in judo at the 2008 Olympics, the first American woman to do so. Transitioning to MMA, Rousey quickly rose to prominence in Strikeforce, becoming the Women’s Bantamweight Champion. Her dominance continued in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where she became the first woman to sign with the promotion and the inaugural UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion. Rousey’s early UFC career was marked by a series of impressive wins, showcasing her judo expertise and armbar submission technique. One of her most notable victories was against Liz Carmouche in UFC 157, the first-ever women’s fight in the UFC, where Rousey defended her title.
Her winning streak continued until UFC 193 in 2015, where she suffered a shocking defeat to Holly Holm, ending her reign as champion. This loss, followed by another defeat to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 in 2016, marked a turning point in Rousey’s MMA career.
Beyond the octagon, Rousey ventured into acting, with roles in films like “The Expendables 3,” “Furious 7,” and “Entourage.” Her on-screen presence extended her fame beyond MMA, showcasing her versatility and appeal.
In 2018, Rousey transitioned to professional wrestling, signing with WWE. She made her in-ring debut at WrestleMania 34 and quickly became a prominent figure in the women’s division. Rousey captured the WWE Raw Women’s Championship at SummerSlam in 2018, holding the title until WrestleMania 35 in a high-profile match involving Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair.
Rousey began practicing Judo with her mother when she was just 11 years old. Her mother trained her until she was 13, and then she switched to a pro trainer. Rousey qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens when she was seventeen and was the youngest judo competitor there. She went on to become the first American athlete to win two Junior World medals. In February 2007, Ronda moved up to 70kg, where she ranked as one of the top three women Judo competitors in the world. Rousey later became the first American to win an Olympic medal in Judo when she won the Bronze at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Rousey retired from Judo after her Olympic glory at age 21. Afterward, she shared a studio apartment with a roommate in Venice Beach and worked three bartending and cocktail waiting jobs to support herself.
Biggest UFC Paydays
Thanks to a class action lawsuit against UFC, some of Ronda’s actual fight earnings were revealed in November 2023. Over just seven fights between 2013 and 2016, she earned $18 million in guarantees, bonuses, and Pay Per View revenue share. Below is a list of some of her biggest UFC paydays:
- $574,720 (vs. Liz Carmouche)
- $1,817,907 (vs. Miesha Tate)
- $870,969 (vs. Sara McMann)
- $1,063,688 (vs. Alexis Davis)
- $1,458,282 (vs. Cat Zingano)
- $2,642,204 (vs. Bethe Correia)
- $4,476,662 (vs. Holly Holm)
- $4,879,766 (vs. Amanda Nunes)
Endorsements and Earnings
On February 28, 2015, Ronda Rousey defeated Cat Zingano with an armlock in 14 seconds. Ronda earned $65,000 to show up, $65,000 for the win, plus an estimated $1 million Pay Per View bonus. Between June 2014 and June 2015, Ronda earned approximately $6.5 million in prizes and endorsements. She has endorsed Monster headphones, Carl’s Jr., Reebok, Metro PCS, and more. Unfortunately, Ronda’s lucky streak came to a very brutal and public end on November 16, 2015, when she was easily defeated by Holly Holm and UFC 193. In 2015 alone, Ronda earned $14 million in prizes, PPV money, endorsements and media appearances. For her fight against Amanda Nunes on December 30, 2016, Ronda was paid $3 million just to show up.