Combat sports legend Ronda Rousey’s eye enlarged and jaw extended as far as it could go, with her hand in front of her mouth, as she witnessed a brutal Power Slap knockout.
The UFC’s inaugural Women’s Bantamweight Champion was sitting in the front row at Power Slap 13 on Friday night in Las Vegas, watching all the action from mere feet away.
It was during the bout between Stunt Marshall and Dontae Smiley where Ronda could not believe what she saw.
A left-handed, open-palm blow from Marshall sent Smiley limp, with the resounding contact jarring his head straight into the table separating them and quickly onto the ground.
Smiley’s body stayed limp while being helped by medical professionals, as he was guided to lie flat on the mat.
Rousey’s shocked look did not leave her face for several seconds, as she looked to her left to see if others were disturbed by the action as much as she was.
Ronda Rousey could not believe a knockout that took place during Power Slap 13 on Friday
Stunt Marshall’s stunning KO of Dontae Smiley left the MMA legend shocked for seconds
It was the Power Slap debut for Marshall, who has a combat-sports pedigree in common with Rousey.
Rousey is the only professional wrestler to main-event an all-female premium event, entitled Evolution, and WrestleMania – wrestling against Nikki Bella, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch in those matches.
Marshall is an independent professional wrestler, competing mainly in the southeastern United States.
Rousey last fought in the UFC in 2016 and left the WWE in 2022, choosing to have a life away from combat sports in recent years.
Yet, she could not pick her jaw up off the floor for several seconds after Smiley went down.
