Ronda Rousey comes to teammate Marina Shafir's defense after recent loss

Ronda Rousey has come to her teammate’s defense – while also offering a subtle jab at the critics – following Marina Shafir‘s knockout loss on Sunday.

Shafir, who’s the UFC women’s bantamweight champion’s longtime friend, roommate and training partner, fought for the second time as a pro MMA fighter on Sunday. But at Chaos at the Casino 5 in California, Amanda Bell’s sharp striking proved too much for the longtime judoka, and Shafir suffered a 37-second knockout loss (watch it below).

For some MMA fans, it was sweet justice. Prior to the fight, Shafir told MMAjunkie Radio that she hoped to help launch a UFC 145-pound women’s division and fight the likes of Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino and Gina Carano.

Was it a matter of looking too far into the future, or simply stating her ambitious goals? Either way, it clearly rubbed some fans the wrong way.

But according to Rousey, all that really matters is what happens in the end.

As she wrote on Instagram:

The beginning of a journey is like reading a good book… For the protagonist the beginning could be rough or perfect, the middle could be challenging and at times almost unbearable…. But it’s the ending that counts. And it’s the destination that makes you look back and thank every hardship that came your way. Love both you girls, and appreciate every second I get to witness your quests for greatness

Along with UFC fighters Shayna Baszler and Jessamyn Duke, Rousey and Shafir make up the “Four Horsewomen,” a name coined by longtime pro-wrestling fan Baszler. However, aside from Rousey, who needed just 16 seconds to stop Alexis Davis in July for her fourth consecutive UFC title defense, the other “Horsewomen” have all suffered losses in their most recent bouts.

Like Rousey, Baszler offered her take via social media:

If 1 of us goes down, there will ALWAYS be the other 3. #4Horsewomen is a sisterhood. Friendship defines us, not growth bumps.—
Shayna Baszler (@QoSBaszler) August 11, 2014

* * * *