Cris Cyborg mercilessly mocks Ronda Rousey's boxing: “Her shadow won”

Ronda Rousey, once the undisputed queen of women’s MMA, has long been out of the UFC spotlight. While she made history with her Olympic judo background and reign as the women’s bantamweight champion, her striking abilities have always been a topic of scrutiny. Rousey’s dramatic fall from grace came after back-to-back knockout losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, leaving fans and fighters to question her place in combat sports. And now, one of her fiercest rivals is taking another jab at the MMA legend’s boxing skills.

Ronda Rousey’s boxing ability questioned again by rival Cris Cyborg
Ronda Rousey may no longer be a fixture in the UFC, but her legacy continues to spark conversation. Recently, a boxing page posed the question of how Rousey would have fared as a boxer: "Champion? Contender?" Even though Ronda Rousey still has a lot of respect from fans for what she did in MMA, her old rival Cris Cyborg wasn’t about to hold back. Instead, she threw out a pretty brutal response.

“I once saw her shadow boxing and her shadow won,” Cyborg said in a brutal takedown of Rousey’s boxing ability. It’s a biting remark from a fighter who has often been viewed as one of the most feared strikers in women’s MMA. Cyborg’s comment comes at a time when Rousey’s boxing skills are already being questioned, especially after the struggles she had with striking during her UFC run.

I once saw her shadow boxing and her shadow won.

— CrisCyborg.Com (@criscyborg) April 17, 2025

While Rousey’s knockout victories early on in her career earned her praise for her striking, many observers have pointed out that her punches weren’t nearly as refined as her grappling. Joe Rogan once claimed that Rousey could have wiped out half of the UFC men’s bantamweight division in her prime, but her weaknesses were exposed when she faced two of the greatest strikers in the sport.

Cris Cyborg’s legacy tour: The feud with Ronda Rousey heats up again
Cris Cyborg, a dominant force in MMA for years, is now nearing the end of her career. As she prepares to retire, she's made it clear she still has plenty of opinions about her old rival, Ronda Rousey. Even though Cyborg’s had her own tough moments, like that shocking knockout loss to Amanda Nunes, she’s still at the top of the game. And with her retirement coming soon, she’s not holding back—continuing to take aim at Rousey’s legacy while making her way through her "legacy tour." It’s clear that rivalry is far from over.

At 39, Cyborg is wrapping up her career with the PFL, with just two fights left on her contract before she retires. She’s also set to return to the boxing ring on May 17, adding to her already impressive career.

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Ronda Rousey’s impact on MMA is undeniable, but her dramatic fall from the top, especially in the striking department, has left a sour taste for some fans. Cyborg’s latest comments only add to the tension in a rivalry that never quite faded away. Even though both fighters are in different stages of their careers, their history keeps them in each other’s crosshairs. Whether or not Rousey could have made it as a boxer is still up for debate, but one thing’s for sure: Cyborg’s not letting the rivalry go anytime soon. The bad blood is still alive, and it’s clear this one won’t be forgotten anytime soon.