5 Moments That Made Ronda Rousey A UFC Legend (And 5 She Wishes We’d Forget)

Ronda Rousey will be forever known as one of the first two women to compete inside the Octagon. However, had she lost on her UFC debut, it may not have mattered much.

Prior to the bout, Rousey was a rising star and UFC planned to build the women's bantamweight division around her. Had she come up short against Liz Carmouche at UFC 157, it would have been a major blow to women's MMA. In fact, the promotion may have scrapped the entire division.

Not content to simply be the answer to an MMA trivia question, Rousey made the most of her opportunity by submitting Liz Carmouche in the first round. The significance of this win can't be understated.

Simply put, in 2013, Rousey was the sport's only female star and her undefeated streak was a big part of that. When looking at the situation in retrospect, it's fair to say the future of women's MMA rested on Rousey's shoulders that evening. Fortunately, for the many women fighting in the UFC today, she was able to deliver.