Ronda Rousey has broken her silence.
The most famous MMA fighter in the world, who on Saturday night suffered her first professional defeat in a huge upset loss to Holly Holm, posted to her Instagram account Sunday evening.
The post did not contain a photo, but it did offer a few words of thanks and some insights into her near-term plans, which include taking time off from competition and, presumably, the limelight.
Rousey had not made any public comment since the defeat. She was taken to the hospital for stitches after the fight and was not available for the post-event news conference.
Rousey (12-1) lost by second-round knockout to Holm (10-0) at UFC 193, which took place in Melbourne, Australia. As a result, Holm became the only other person besides Rousey to ever wear the UFC women's bantamweight title.
Her stated intention to take time off is in keeping with the sentiments she expressed before the fight. Rousey, who was the subject of intense and sometimes daffy media scrutiny in the weeks leading up to UFC 193, told Rolling Stone's Mike Bohn she wanted to "disappear" for a while after the event.
In the hours after her defeat, Rousey was widely criticized and mocked on social media by fans and fellow fighters, not only for the loss, but for the perceived lack of sportsmanship that has been a Rousey trademark for the past couple of years. Miesha Tate (whom Rousey has beaten twice) and Cristiane "Cyborg" Justino were among the fighters who displayed a gleeful reaction to the result.
Despite the loss, it is easy to make the case that Rousey remains a transcendent athlete and major celebrity for MMA, having singlehandedly popularized women's MMA in the mainstream. Rousey still has a tremendously dominant track record: Holm and Tate are the only two fighters to ever make it out of the first round with Rousey.
There is no word on Rousey's next fight, but after UFC 193, Holm and UFC President Dana White both told reporters that an immediate rematch between Rousey and Holm "makes sense."
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