It was, certainly, a head kick heard around the world. Holly Holm knocked out erstwhile unbeaten Ronda Rousey to win the UFC World Women's Bantamweight Championship. As referee Herb Dean stopped the fight, the world reacted with shock, disbelief, inspiration and "I told you so's," but here's the thing.
It's not a story of the perils of living a rockstar life. Yes, Rousey had movie and commercial shoots, TV guestings and events, but she's always been a strong woman who could multi-task. there was never an occasion where she didn't train enough. People love to bring out this story to any fighting champion with crossover personality, but there was never an occasion where she didn't train enough. Rousey is a training junkie. She made weight and didn't look dehydrated.
It's not a story of hubris or good vs evil either. Yes, Rousey had the scowl, the fighting words, the weigh in snafu and the refusal to touch gloves while Holm was gracious and mostly silent. But to infer that one protagonist is good while the other is bad makes no real observation other than the commenter is a casual fight fan. Fights are fought outside the ring as much as in it and fighters build and cultivate the personas that help them win. Holm projects the "I'm silent but I am a killer" vibe; Rousey projects the "I will get on you and destroy you" vibe. Neither lady is as simple as just the persona they project.
