Just four years ago, Ronda Rousey broke into the mainstream and made women’s mixed martial arts a major attraction among fight fans. But after two consecutive brutal losses in 2015 and 2016, she is suddenly out of the picture, with the possibility of never setting foot in the UFC Octagon ever again.
With Rousey now gone, former rival Cris Cyborg is now likely to be the new face of women’s MMA, especially if she emerges victorious over Tonya Evinger at UFC 214 to become the UFC’s undisputed women’s featherweight champion.