Member Reviews
Really interesting to learn more about Rousey. What I didn’t expect, though, was to hear how well she spoke about women’s fight for equality and to reach the top level in all fields. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend to all women climbing the ladder.
As a casual fan of wrestling living with more intense fans, a book by Ronda Rousey had instant appeal. Our Fight is the second memoir by Rousey, following My Fight/Your Fight. In Our Fight she details her time fighting in UFC and wrestling in WWE. Rousey's sister, Maria Burns Ortiz, is her coauthor and between the two of them they write a detailed account of many bouts. I enjoyed the relationship aspect of her time in the WWE and wish there had been more behind the scenes revelations. Rousey appeared brutally honest about her own behavior, as well as the behavior of others. Although she was extremely successful in both arenas, I hope she finds even greater success as she moves forward as an author and creator.
Having known almost nothing about Ronda Rousey, except for her tenacity and unbeatable strength, I was interested in reading Our Fight. Ronda forever changed MMA, as the first female champion. Her success in the ring parlayed into spots in movies and public appearances. On November 15, 2015, a singular loss took Rousey from the top to the very bottom.
From her multiple concussions to the abuse by her coaches, Rousey honestly recounts the struggles and challenges in her life. The pursuit of greatness is something that Ronda has had since her childhood, so coming to terms with her body breaking down has been hard.
As a woman in a man's world, Ronda had to break through the glass ceiling and, in doing so, paved the way for other females in the sport. I was appalled at all she endured, though I was not particularly surprised as to how the champion was treated in the court of public opinion after her gold halo became tarnished in their eyes.
I applaud Rousey for her strength and determination, but more for her stepping back and taking care of her own needs. It is never easy to accept help and to decide to put yourself first.
Though I never watched MMA, I can appreciate how seriously Ronda Rousey took her pursuit for perfection. Our Fight was interesting to read and I would recommend it to readers who like sport memoirs or nonfiction books about strong females who face challenges head on and with dignity.
Did I expect this book to be a conversation on how women, no matter their profession or life circumstances, have to prove themselves beyond their male counterparts? Nope. Did it deliver (and then some) on that? Absolutely.
First and foremost, Rousey is an excellent writer. Her authorial voice is sophisticated and strong (much like her fighting style), and still maintains her personality. I was pleasantly surprised by just HOW well written this book is. With the influx of celebrity memoirs, on the market, the substance and style can often be lacking. That is not the case in this book - she absolutely brings it, on all fronts.
Covering her early fighting days, through motherhood, and WWE career, Rousey doesn’t hold back on the truth. She exposes the abuses and inequities that women fade, especially in male-dominated fields. However, she faced physical abuse, as well as the emotional and psychological trauma many women do, too. Most women can relate to the anecdote - you’re wearing a band tshirt, and a man comes up and asks you to name 5 songs by the band/artist. They wouldn’t ask or expect that of a man. Same with Rousey - except she was expected to take physical blows, as well as an onslaught of verbal abuse - and that was just front her coaches.
Navigating life as a woman, and eventually a mother, Rousey was honest, laugh-out-loud funny, and brutal in the best way. I applaud and appreciate her candor, and am grateful to have read this book.
As an aside, I want to be friends with her mom, even though I’m sure she would terrify me.
I receive an ARC of this book, from the publisher, for which I would like to express my gratitude!
From New York Times bestselling author and trailblazing athlete Ronda Rousey, an unfiltered and entertaining chronicle of her last decade, tackling not only her explosive career transition but also parenthood, overcoming adversity, and finding meaning in life’s journey.
From the moment she burst onto the MMA scene, Ronda Rousey was unbeatable. She repeatedly strung together back-to-back flawless victories, racking up a collection of records and forever changing the face of sports as the UFC’s first female champion. A superstar in her sport, she transcended athletics, appearing in blockbuster films and becoming a role model for women everywhere. Then, on November 15, 2015, it all came crashing down.
In OUR FIGHT, Rousey explores the greatest challenge of her life and, ultimately, how she rebuilt her career into something better in the aftermath. She recounts how she replaced her pursuit of perfection with the pursuit of happiness and found a blessing in disguise amongst the wreckage. Following Rousey’s relatable journey, OUR FIGHT is a courageous narrative of career changes, marriage, motherhood, and facing your fears.
I could not get into her story at all.
A solid memoir and follow-up to her previous book, "Our Fight" walks us through the more tumultuous recent years of Ronda Rousey's life. I enjoyed reading about the behind-the-scenes drama of her WWE days and the inner works of the organization. Overall a decent, engaging book.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.
Ronda Rousey, the trailblazing athlete and former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion, invites readers into the raw and unfiltered chronicle of her last decade in “Our Fight: A Memoir.” In this courageous narrative, Rousey delves into her explosive career transition and explores parenthood, overcoming adversity, and finding meaning in life’s tumultuous journey.
From the moment she burst onto the MMA scene, Ronda Rousey was a force to be reckoned with. Her back-to-back flawless victories and groundbreaking achievements forever changed the face of sports. But on that fateful day in 2015, everything came crashing down—the head kick heard around the world, the loss that shattered her invincibility. In “Our Fight,” Rousey takes us through the darkness that followed, revealing her vulnerability and resilience.
The book begins with the worst day of her life—the defeat that left her questioning everything. Physical pain was bearable, but the collapse of her carefully constructed world was not. Yet, amidst the wreckage, she found a blessing in disguise. Rousey replaced her pursuit of perfection with the pursuit of happiness. She rebuilt her career, not as a flawless champion, but as a fighter who embraced imperfection and authenticity.
What sets “Our Fight” apart is its honesty. Rousey doesn’t shy away from her struggles, including contemplating suicide after her devastating loss. She shares her journey through the darkness, the people who turned against her, those who stood by her, and those she left behind. Her candidness about mental health and resilience resonates deeply.
The memoir also sheds light on Rousey’s transition to WWE, where scripted matches clashed with her unapologetic authenticity. Vince McMahon’s response to her refusal to be labeled “the women’s champion” is both revealing and timely. Rousey’s departure from WWE reflects her determination to change her life, even when the organization resisted this change.
“Our Fight” is about transformation and triumph. Rousey’s journey from perfection to authenticity is a powerful lesson for anyone facing adversity. Her courage to walk away, knowing she had resources and family support, stands as a testament to her resilience.
While some may find Rousey polarizing, her unapologetic voice and unwavering spirit make this memoir a compelling read. Whether you’re a fight fan or not, “Our Fight” offers valuable insights into the human experience—how we rise from the ashes, redefine ourselves, and find strength in our own vulnerability.
This was a great book! Ronda gave such detail to her life and all that she had been through to get to where she is now and how she reached all the goals she had in her life.
What to say about Ronda Rousey that she doesn't already say and acknowledge in this book?! I was so excited to watch her and other females come into the UFC. She was my favorite for her duration there. I now understand why she did certain things. I never watch wrestling because it is all fake, which she acknowledges in this book. She called it right choreography and that seems to be the perfect description!
This book is a deep dive into Ronda's live throughout the UFC, WWE, and starting a family. It explains depression, anxiety, love and fear in a way that very few people admit to. Much of Ronda's life was pre-determined by others, which I did not know. I forget that some of these contracts signed control her life in a way that most people wouldn't want to be controlled. Being told where and when to fight is one thing, but the training, camps, turn and burn nature of it was completely lost on me until I read this book. I feel like the world should apologize to fighters, even wrestlers, who push their bodies to the brink for our amusement.
I enjoyed this book, as hard as it was to listen to Ronda being forced into these fights when she didn't feel like she had a choice, and appreciate the dedication to the sports that us fans watched. I hope she gets her time to herself from here on out to spend with her family and do whatever she wants to do - not on the grueling schedule of the WWE and her self imposed schedule in the UFC.
I knew of Ronda Rousey from watching MMA, but did not know much about her life. This was an interesting read and I learned a lot about the woman she is and how she got there.
I was intrigued by this title and felt lucky that it was available for download without request. I love memoirs and break-the-glass-ceiling stories. Unfortunately this is a DNF (for now) - I didn't connect with Ronda Rousey's storytelling and voice despite really wanting to know more about her life and the challenges she faced. Hopefully I can pick this book up again during a mood reading season that's more of a match!
Back again with another tell all but this time it hits a little harder. Followung her hard losses, WWE career and two pregnancies this book not only hits home for lots of women but leads you to a completely different side of Ronda.
Great insight into the mind of a fighter and wrestler. It was motivational to read about her rise to success and the path her life took after losing. Rising after we fall is something all of us can relate to.
I am a fan of WWE, so I was excited to get ahold of Ronda Rousey’s memoir especially since she was one of my fav female wrestlers. I loved hearing about her upbringing and rise and fall in UFC, and what she did for women in that sport. It was very interesting to hear how she tried to uplift the women’s division in WWE, but good ol Vince (insert eye roll) just kept getting in the way. She truly is a gem. I enjoyed this and the way she stayed true to herself throughout! “I’m more than just a fighter”.
I thought this book was awesome! It gave a pretty in depth look into Ronda’s life from her time in the ufc through her time in the wwe. She shared many of personal stories and didn’t seem to hold back on her feelings and it was captured in this book perfectly!
This book isn't just for fans of Ronda Rousey or MMA fighting or wrestling. It's her story about how she rose to the top to be knocked down again and then came back better than ever. I wasn't aware of her extended history with WWE and learning the mechanics of this industry was sometimes appalling. It is a very sexist industry understandably, but Ronda didn't let that stop her from shining. This book is for everyone who roots for the underdog and also for anyone interested in the MMA and wrestling world. I have a better appreciation of Ronda and the person she is and how she became that person.
I remember the fight that ended Ronda Rousey's reign as an undefeated UFC fighter. I remember thinking that she was a still a great fighter, regardless of her wins/loss record, but of course that would have had devastating repercussions for her.
I really loved the first half of this book which was largely a recount of the moments and training up to that moment. Rousey was raw and vulnerable and it really did move me. But as she came to turns with that loss and how it ended her UFC fighting career, she transitioned herself into a WWE fighter.
Here, the story lost steam for me, but honestly, I'm just not a fan of WWE so it was probably more that than anything. There's no doubt that Rousey is a trailblazer and one tough woman! Her determinination and fight are admirable, and with the current rise in women's sports, we also have her to thank for paving the way for the future of women fighters/wrestlers.
Ronda Rousey's "My Fight/Your Fight" is an inspiring memoir that transcends the world of UFC and professional boxing. As someone who isn't typically drawn to combat sports, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Rousey's story.
From her humble beginnings to becoming the first female UFC champion, Rousey's journey is nothing short of remarkable. With unflinching honesty and raw vulnerability, she invites readers into the ring of her life, where every triumph and setback has shaped her into the fierce, unapologetic fighter she is today.
What sets this book apart is Rousey's unique voice. Her fierce commitment to authenticity shines through every page, offering readers a glimpse into the mindset of a true champion. Whether she's discussing her training regimen, mental toughness, the trauma she endured, or the sacrifices required, Rousey's insights are both relatable and empowering.
Rousey's journey is a reminder that we all have the power to overcome adversity and rewrite our own narratives. Her message resonates far beyond the world of sports, inspiring readers to embrace their inner strength and pursue their dreams with unwavering determination.
If you are looking for some empowerment and motivation, I recommend this one!
Thank you NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy.
Thank you for the ARC!
I read Rousey's first book and have followed her career through UFC and WWE. Much like her first book, Rousey didn't hold back. I was particularly interested in her "second career" as a WWE Superstar and enjoyed how candid Rousey was discussing disgraced WWE employees and her experience as part of the women's evolution. WWE fans don't normally get a glimpse into the dysfunction that was Vince McMahon's regime.
Rousey has had an incredible career as a fighter. Reading about her experience post Holly Holm loss was heartbreaking as was her eventual UFC retirement after her loss to Amanda Nunes, but through it all she had Travis by her side ensuring that she kept going while giving her the space to grieve. This book comes from that grief.
Enjoyed this just as much, if not more, than her first book.
As I suspect is true for many people, I knew Ronda Rousey as a dominant UFC fighter who lost publicly and surprisingly to Holly Holm in 2015. Of course, she is SO much more than just her win/loss record, and this book shows that. She takes us into her UFC fighting, both training and competition, and particularly through the lead up to and after her life-changing first loss. She also reveals her battles with toxic coaches, the weight of self-imposed expectations, and her unexpected segue into the scripted world of WWE. Great memoir!