How Rousey got Bad Reputation
Ronda Rousey: “If you’re constantly stressing over trying to get everyone to like you, you’re giving them the power to control your well being.”
UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is still doing publicity for her My Fight/Your Fight, memoir, written with her sister Maria Burns Ortiz. Rousey spoke recently with Marc Myers of the Wall Street Journal, about how she came to select her Bad Reputation walkout song.
Lots of professional fighters want their walkout song to sound like the Rocky theme—you know, regal and inspiring. I’m more on the theatrical side, so I needed something gritty, with a lot of attitude.
My walkout theme used to be Sex and Violence by the Exploited, a Scottish punk band. It’s loud and brash, and the title’s words are pretty much it for the song’s lyrics.
Then in 2011, I was fighting with Strikeforce, when Showtime wanted to air my bout on its late-night premium channel. That was a big break, but Showtime thought my song was inappropriate.
It was hard to choose a new one. I tried some Rage Against the Machine songs, but none of them felt right. Then my godfather’s son suggested Joan Jett’s Bad Reputation, from 1981. I had just heard the song on my car radio in the parking lot of the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
The song was perfect. If you’re constantly stressing over trying to get everyone to like you, you��re giving them the power to control your well being. For me it’s better to embrace the role of the heel and chase after being disliked. It’s an element of control and leaves room for error.
Joan’s song and rebellious voice are closest to being the music equivalent of my attitude in the ring. I like being seen as an intimidating, indomitable force. I’m happier being a nasty piece of work.