Ronda Rousey was an Olympic bronze medalist in Judo, burnt out and working as a bartender, sometimes living in her car. Then she saw women fighting on a tv over the bar, and thought to herself, “I can beat those girls.” And she did.

“Rowdy” started as an amateur, winning her three bouts via armbar, in a combined time of 114 seconds. Turning pro, she won her first eight fights via armbar, then TKO’d Olympic silver medalist in wrestling Sara McMann, KO’d Alexis Davis with a punch, got one last armbar on Cat Zingano, KO’d Bethe Correia, and then lost two and retired. Along the way, she became the most famous fighter in MMA.

Mackenzie Dern won the world Gi and No Gi BJJ championships, twice, and the ADCCs. She won her first eight MMA fights, four by decision, four by submission, and then lost a decision to Amanda Ribas. However, she bounced back with three wins in a row, most recently decisioning Virna Jandiroba on the main card of UFC 256 on Saturday.

At the post-fight press conference, Dern discussed fan comparisons with Rousey.

That started when I started with my knockdown of Amanda Cooper, I knocked her down then got the submission, I started kinda building my own style, said Dern. Ronda has a great style, aggressive, but I think when I start to get the leg locks I have something different, really different, the jiu-jitsu, these leg locks from the bottom, where people think you’re losing.

I kind just set my goal on breaking records. Ronda broke records, I’m gonna break more records. I’m just focused on that, one straight line, you know the horse has the [blinders]. It was a pleasure for me that everyone was saying that, but it was pretty easy for me to focus on my own goals and try to be a legend.

h/t Jesse Holland for MMA Mania