LeBron James

LeBron James offers Ronda Rousey support after devastating UFC 207 loss

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 2:03 a.m. ET

Sports Illustrated, SI Wire/Sports Illustrated

Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James has offered his support to former UFC champion Ronda Rousey after her devastating loss at UFC 207 on Friday night, he tells the Akron Beacon Journal.

“In sports, in general, they build you up as high as they can, put you on the highest mountain in the world, just to tear you down. That’s coming from somebody who has experienced it. And that’s exactly what she’s going through right now,” James said. “That’s a fact. I know exactly how she feels because I was that athlete. I went through that.”

“You don’t know her mindset. You don’t know the drive, is the drive still there? You don’t know,” James added. “But you can tell that it’s built and built and built and built and built, they always make the teardown story more important than how long it took for her to actually get to the mountaintop.”

• Ronda Rousey's Return: A look back at her career timeline

Rousey made her return to the ring for the first time since surrendering the women's bantamweight title to Holly Holm in November 2015. Rousey was knocked out in the second round with a head kick by Holm. On Saturday night, current bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes delivered repeated blows to Rousey's head and knocked her out in 48 seconds.

Rousey largely declined to promote Friday night’s fight, and went on a media blackout in the days before the main event. Since her latest loss, Rousey only issued a brief statement but has not made any public appearance.