Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant is enjoying retirement after calling it a career in April of last year. Although Bryant is no longer entertaining Lakers fans on a nightly basis at the Staples Center, the 38-year-old remains in the public eye and occasionally voices his opinion from time to time like he did on Saturday in the wake of Ronda Rousey devastating loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207.
Kobe took to Twitter following Rousey’s loss to Nunes and expressed support for the UFC fighter. Bryant felt the need to quiet Rousey’s critics with many bashing the fighter after she lost in convincing fashion in her return to the Octagon:
Instead of clapping for @RondaRousey defeat give her a standing O for putting the sport on the map #pioneer #muse
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) December 31, 2016
Kobe has a point regarding Rousey’s impact on the sport that many thought would never take off the way it has, especially when it comes to women fighting in the Octagon. Rousey is a legitimate superstar that quickly became the UFC’s star attraction with her fights being huge draws and paving the way for other stars like Conor McGregor.
Bryant felt so strongly about supporting Rousey publicly that he engaged Black Sports Online in a little back and forth about what he meant in his initial tweet following the Rousey fight with Nunes.
As media we should hold UNDERSTANDING the psychological and physical behavior of athletes above judgment. THIS is powerful content #museon https://t.co/OSYTHUkyj6
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) December 31, 2016
The answer is a healthy balance of all ? https://t.co/F1siTpIjjU
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) December 31, 2016
Rousey, who has now lost her last two fights, will have to make a decision about her future in UFC. The once-dominant fighter may simply decide to retire like her former rival Meisha Tate did after losing her last fight to Raquel Pennington at UFC 205.
So after an incredible career in which she helped take the UFC to the next level, Rousey may join Bryant in retirement as an athlete that will leave an incredible legacy behind.
