There was a time when Ronda Rousey ruled the MMA world with an iron fist as one of the UFC’s most dominant champions. But her reign came crashing down after Amanda Nunes dismantled her at UFC 207, which pushed ‘Rowdy’ away from the sport for nearly a decade. Now, after years of speculation, the ex- champ is finally back, and she is looking to make a statement louder than ever before.  

On May 16, the 39-year-old will face Gina Carano in the headliner of Most Valuable Promotions’ inaugural MMA card. All eyes will be on Rousey as she looks to showcase her class once again on the grand stage. But before the California native steps into action this weekend, let’s take a closer look at her background, including her ethnicity, nationality, and more.

Where is Ronda Rousey from?

Born on February 01, 1987, Ronda Rousey is from Riverside, California. For those who don’t know, she’s the youngest daughter of AnnMaria De Mars and Ronald John Rousey. Though Riverside is Rousey’s birthplace, the former UFC bantamweight champion grew up in Jamestown, North Dakota, and Southern California.  

With the details surrounding ‘Rowdy’’s birthplace now clear, let’s take a closer look at her nationality.  

What is Ronda Rousey’s nationality?    

As is clearly evident, Ronda Rousey’s nationality is American. Throughout her professional career, the Californian has proudly represented the red, white, and blue. During her journey as a judoka, Rousey became the first athlete from the US to win two Junior World Championship medals at the 2006 Junior World Championships.

After that achievement, Rousey went on to win a gold medal at the 2007 Pan American Games, followed by another gold medal at the World Judo Championships in the same year. However, her most glorious moment arrived the following year when she represented the United States at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, and became the first American woman to win an Olympic bronze medal in judo.

When she transitioned from judo to full-blown MMA, Rousey continued representing the United States, and that remained true throughout her dominant UFC reign. So, now that we know about Rousey’s nationality, let’s know more about her ethnicity, which is a much more complex affair.

What is Ronda Rousey’s ethnicity?

Ronda Rousey is actually of multi-ethnic heritage. Her roots can be traced back to England, Poland, Venezuela, Trinidad, and Canada. Interestingly, one of her maternal grandparents, Alfred Waddell, was a doctor who migrated from Trinidad to Canada and became one of the first Black physicians in North America, and was also a civil rights activist in Nova Scotia.

On the other hand, Ronda Rousey’s maternal great-grandmother was from Caracas, Venezuela, which adds a very unique layer to her ethnic background. That said, what about the former UFC champ’s religious views?

What is Ronda Rousey’s religion? Is Ronda Rousey Christian?

To be fair, Ronda Rousey has never explicitly revealed what religion or faith she follows. However, she attended St. John Catholic School in the early 1990s, which indicates that her family might be Catholic to some extent. That said, ‘Rowdy’ does not seem to be a disbeliever, as she appears to believe in a higher power, and one of her tattoos gives that away.

On her left ankle, the 39-year-old has the quote, “Protected by God, hated by many, respected by all,” inked, which suggests that Rousey has some level of faith and connection with God and spirituality.

With Ronda Rousey’s comeback on May 16, a win against Gina Carano would propel the former champ back into the spotlight once again.