Mom: 'Average person' just can't understand how much winning means to Ronda Rousey

Every athlete deserves – and probably needs – a mom like Dr. AnnMaria De Mars.

On Friday her daughter, former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC), returned from a 13-month layoff but failed to reclaim the belt after taking on current titleholder Amanda Nunes (14-4 MMA, 7-1 UFC).

It was a high-profile, very public 48-second defeat for Rousey, who – along with UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor – is arguably the sport’s biggest star.

Like Rousey, De Mars was a standout judoka and the first American world champion. And while Rousey has earned her fair share of criticism – for things like her pre-UFC 207 media blackout and an obvious lack of improvement heading into Friday’s pay-per-view headliner at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena – De Mars was quick to Rousey’s defense.

As she wrote on her personal blog, drannmaria.blogspot.com: “All of those who have criticized Ronda for taking a loss so to heart, for not just ‘shrugging it off’ don’t understand that what made Ronda so successful is that she cares DEEPLY about winning to an extent that I don’t believe the average person can wrap his/her head around.”

De Mars also included a lengthy list of accomplishments for the 29-year-old, who has a “pretty darn good track record” outside of the cage. As she wrote: ” … let me suggest that someone who has been world level athlete in two sports, written a best seller, acted in movies and made millions of dollars, all before the age of 30 has a pretty darn good track record. On top of that, Ronda has been part of the USADA drug testing since she was 16 years old, never failed a drug test, always paid her taxes, never been arrested, never been to rehab, has zero divorces, zero DUIs and zero children. While you might think that is to be expected, look how many celebrities (heck, look how many of your neighbors) can say that.”

Check out the full post at drannmaria.blogspot.com.

And for more on UFC 207, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.