By Cheryl Mattox Berry
Former UFC Champion Ronda Rousey finally spoke out about her crushing loss to Holly Holm, but I wished she had just kept quiet. Rousey told talk show host Ellen DeGeneres that she comtemplated suicide after losing the fight last November.
Seriously, Ronda?
I can understand being angry, disappointed and embarrassed. These are considered normal feelings, but killing yourself? This is not the Dark Ages. Losers don’t fall on their swords.
If you can’t handle defeat, you shouldn’t compete.
Rousey’s reaction shows that she doesn’t have the heart of an athlete. A true athlete doesn’t give up; she trains harder and comes back stronger.
Like so many young people these days, Rousey, 29, probably got caught up in the social media hype and didn’t believe losing was a possibility. It’s not something you dwell on, but her trainers should have prepared her for whatever came her way. It’s called mental toughness.
My daughter played tennis in elementary, middle and high school. Her high school team made it to the state championships twice. There were losses each step of the way, but the coaches, including her tennis-playing dad, taught her how to pick herself up and get ready for the next match.
That’s what athletes do. No one is entitled to win. And there are no participation trophies in professional sports.
Rousey said she decided to keep living because she wanted to have her boyfriend’s babies. That is troubling, too. Her sole reason for living is for someone else and not because there are things in life that she still wants to achieve?
Will someone please refer this woman to a therapist so that she can get her head straight. She has some serious self-esteem issues that need immediate attention. The doctor should also check for a chemical imbalance, which might be causing those dark thoughts.
Rousey wants a rematch with Holm. I hate to think what might happen if she loses again.