SI cover: The Unbreakable Ronda Rousey
UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey has been everywhere in 2015, and now she can add the cover of Sports Illustrated to that list.
The 28-year-old stands atop SI.com's latest pound for pound rankings, an honor that can point to the fact that she has won her last two fights by a combined 30 seconds. First there was her 16-second victory over Alexis Davis by KO in July 2014, prompting UFC president Dana White to say Rousey doesn't earn the respect she deserves because of her gender.
In February, Rousey became the first MMA fighter to appear in the SI Swimsuit Issue. Later that month, she continued her reign with a 14-second armbar takedown of Cat Zingano, the fastest finish of any kind in a UFC championship fight (you can even watch it in claymation). It upped Rousey's career MMA record to 11–0 and marked the ninth time she has won by armbar.
Since the swift victory over Zingano, Rousey has been on a bit of a whirlwind tour as her fame only continues to grow. She stopped by The Tonight Showand demonstrated her famous armbar move on an unlucky yet thoroughly impressed Jimmy Fallon.
She was even challenged by a Houston Texans cheerleader who was a state champion boxer and thinks she has a plan that could stymie Rousey. And of course there was Rousey's memorable appearance at WresleMania 31, when she teamed up with The Rock.
But Rousey knows that with fame, there comes a price.
She tried to use an alter ego - Brynn Campbell - on the dating app Tinder, to no avail. Instead, she says she mostly hangs out with her dog Mochi.
“S---,” she says, “the only person I'm making out with is my dog.”
Rousey says she has the support of her family and friends to help navigate her through the rough waters of being a celebrity.
Classic Photos of Ronda Rousey
Ronda Rousey :: Jan. 23, 2016
Ronda Rousey :: Jan. 23, 2016
Ronda Rousey :: Jan. 23, 2016
Ronda Rousey :: January 2016
Ronda Rousey :: Nov. 14, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: Oct. 27, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: Oct. 27, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: Oct. 27, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: Oct. 16, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: Oct. 6, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: Sept. 17, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: Sept. 16, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: Sept. 16, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: Sept. 16, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: Aug. 4, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: Aug. 2, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: Aug. 1, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: July 15, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: July 15, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: April 27, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: April 27, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: April 27, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: March 23, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: April 4, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: April 1, 2015
Ronda Rousey and the Rock :: March 29, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: March 29, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: March 29, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: March 26, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: March 24, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: March 24, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: March 20, 2015
Ronda Rousey and Bethe Correia:: March 20, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: March 20, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: March 20, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: March 20, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: March 14, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: March 10, 2015
Ronda Rousey :: February 2015
Ronda Rousey and Cat Zingano :: February 2015
Ronda Rousey :: February 2015
Ronda Rousey :: February 2015
Ronda Rousey :: February 2015
Ronda Rousey :: February 2015
Ronda Rousey and Cat Zingano :: February 2015
Ronda Rousey and Cat Zingano :: February 2015
Ronda Rousey and Cat Zingano :: February 2015
Ronda Rousey and Cat Zingano :: February 2015
Ronda Rousey and Cat Zingano :: February 2015
Ronda Rousey :: February 2015
Ronda Rousey :: February 2015
Ronda Rousey :: December 2014
Ronda Rousey :: November 2014
Ronda Rousey :: November 2014
Ronda Rousey :: November 2014
Ronda Rousey :: October 2014
Ronda Rousey :: September 2014
Ronda Rousey :: August 2014
Ronda Rousey :: July 2014
Ronda Rousey and Alexis Davis: July 2014
Ronda Rousey :: July 2014
Ronda Rousey :: May 2014
Ronda Rousey :: May 2014
Ronda Rousey :: May 2014
Ronda Rousey and Kellan Lutz :: May 2014
Ronda Rousey :: May 2014
Ronda Rousey :: May 2014
Ronda Rousey :: April 2014
Ronda Rousey :: February 2014
Ronda Rousey :: February 2014
Ronda Rousey and Jimmy Kimmel:: December 2013
Ronda Rousey :: December 2013
Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate :: December 2013
Ronda Rousey and Josh Thomson :: July 2013
Ronda Rousey :: July 2013
Ronda Rousey :: March 2013
Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche :: February 2013
Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche :: February 2013
Ronda Rousey :: December 2012
Ronda Rousey :: October 2012
Ronda Rousey and Dana White: September 2012
Ronda Rousey and Sarah Kaufman :: August 2012
Ronda Rousey :: August 2012
Ronda Rousey :: July 2012
Ronda Rousey :: March 2012
Ronda Rousey :: March 2012
Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate :: March 2012
Ronda Rousey :: March 2012
Ronda Rousey :: October 2012
Ronda Rousey :: October 2012
Ronda Rousey :: October 2012
Ronda Rousey :: October 2012
Ronda Rousey :: October 2012
Ronda Rousey :: October 2012
Ronda Rousey :: November 2011
Ronda Rousey and Sarah D'Alelio :: August 2011
Ronda Rousey :: August 2011
Ronda Rousey and Sarah D'Alelio :: August 2011
Ronda Rousey :: April 2008
Ronda Rousey and Valerie Gotay: April 2008
Ronda Rousey and Annett Boehm: August 2008
Ronda Rousey :: August 2008
Ronda Rousey: 2007
Ronda Rousey :: April 2006
Ronda Rousey :: August 2004
Ronda Rousey :: June 2004
"What I realized is once you become socially unhealthy, it’s impossible to stay psychologically healthy,” she says. “[Celebrities] get surrounded by people that benefit off of them in some way. Every single person that they see in the day either gains financial stability, status, something from that person. And so the people around you reflect reality back to you."
When she's not appearing in Fast and Furious 7 or the upcoming Entourage, Rousey even found time to write a book.
The book, entitled My Fight/Your Fight, hits shelves Tuesday and recounts career moments such as her one-armed judo victory at the 2007 World Championships.
Could Rousey be on the way to retiring from the MMA? Only time will tell. “The shorter my fights are, the longer I can fight.” Rousey says...."I want to stop before it really erodes me.”
For more on Rousey, check out L. Jon Wertheim's story in this week's Sports Illustrated (subscribe here).
Also in this issue: More on the Deflategate fallout, and features on Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin, the new look San Diego Padres and the 1985 NBA draft.
Subscribers and newsstands not in Michigan, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Eastern Missouri will receive this cover.
Not in the area to buy the regional or national issue? Buy single issues here.
GALLERY: 2015 Sports Illustrated Covers