UFC heavyweight Travis Browne confirms relationship with champ Ronda Rousey

Travis Browne

MMA’s worst-kept secret is now out in the open: Travis Browne is in a relationship with Ronda Rousey.

Browne, a UFC heavyweight contender, had long been rumored to be dating the dominant UFC women’s bantamweight champion.

Today, Browne, who trains alongside the MMA superstar at Glendale Fighting Club in Glendale, Calif., made it official. But don’t call it “dating.”

“Dating is for children; dating is for kids,” Browne today told The MMA Hour. “Over the summer, through all the sh-t that I had to shuffle through, that I had to sift through, Ronda and I started talking throughout the summer, and I’ll say now that we are together.

“She’s my woman, and I’m her man. There’s no boyfriend-girlfriend stuff. There’s no dating. We’re together.”

The “sh-t” that Browne referenced is a recent investigation into domestic violence involving his estranged wife, fitness model Jenna Renee Webb. However, citing “inconclusive evidence,” Browne was cleared to return to competition.

Although Webb did not press charges, UFC’s officials announced the promotion hired “a former FBI agent with more than 25 years of experience” for a seven-week investigation of the situation that “included interviews with multiple subjects associated with the principals, as well as the principals themselves.”

According to the statement: “The investigation found inconclusive evidence to support claims of alleged domestic violence involving Browne, and inconclusive evidence that Browne had violated the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy. As a result, UFC has lifted Browne’s temporary suspension and anticipates him returning to competition in the coming months. UFC takes allegations of domestic violence very seriously, and they will be investigated for their validity. If proven true with facts, it will result in swift action on our part.”

Browne (17-3-1 MMA, 8-3-1 UFC), who’s ranked No. 6 in the NOS Energy Drink MMA heavyweight rankings, meets Matt Mitrione (9-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 81, which takes place Jan. 17 and airs on FOX Sports 1 from TD Garden in Boston.

Up next for Rousey (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC), the world’s top-ranked women’s bantamweight and female pound-for-pound fighter, is a UFC 193 pay-per-view headliner against Holly Holm (9-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC). Rousey looks for her seventh consecutive title defense at the stadium show, which takes place Nov. 14 at the the 70,000-seat Etihad Stadium in Melbourne.

For more on UFC 193 and UFC Fight Night 81, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.