Back in November, Ronda Rousey lost her UFC bantamweight title to Holly Holm following a crushing defeat that left the reigning champ considerably worse for wear.
After an emergency hospitalization, there were rumors that Rousey would require plastic surgery.
When she appeared in public for the first time after the fight, Rousey covered her face from paparazzi, fueling rumors that the damage was even more severe than it initially looked.
Though it was a kick to the neck that put Rousey down for the count, the 28-year-old – speaking publicly for the first time since her knockout – says the most significant damage she sustained was to her mouth.
The stitches in her lip have yet to dissolve, and she’s still sporting several loose teeth. Rousey was her usual straightforward self when assessing the damage in a recent interview with ESPN magazine:
“It might be three to six months before I can eat an apple, let alone take an impact,” Rousey said, when asked about her plans to return to the ring.
While that may sound like a grim prognosis, Rousey made it clear in the interview that she’s down – but definitely not out.
Though she admitted that she was “really f–king sad,” for weeks following the Holm match, she ways that her lip “looks awesome” after surgery, and assures fans that there will be a rematch.
Holm was dominant in the first go-round, but we get the feeling that Rousey on the comeback trail will be a force to be reckoned with.
“Maybe I can’t do it all before my prime, before my body is done,” she said. “But f–k it, maybe I can.”