Ronda Rousey did more for women's MMA than any single person in history. Before Rousey, the UFC didn't sign women. Dana White said publicly it would never happen. Rousey changed his mind by being impossible to ignore. Her armbar was a cultural phenomenon. UFC 157 in 2013 was the first event with a women's fight. The division was born.
From 2013 to 2015, six title defenses, most ending in the first round. She transcended the sport with movies and magazine covers. Then Holly Holm's head kick at UFC 193 ended the era. When Rousey returned against Nunes, it was 48 seconds of brutal reality. She retired without saying goodbye.
The legacy is complicated but undeniable. Every woman fighting in the UFC today is standing on ground Rousey broke.