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Ronda Rousey’s mark on the world of mixed martial arts goes beyond her in-ring accomplishments. As a pioneer of women’s MMA and former UFC champion, she created a paradigm shift in the sport before moving on to a high-profile run in WWE. Now, Rousey is using her platform to highlight a critical issue permeating combat sports. Speaking on the “SHAK MMA” podcast, Rousey peeled back the layers of her experiences in both the UFC and WWE, revealing a pressing concern that has escaped public scrutiny.

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“Cumulative neurological injury is something that people don’t talk about in MMA, and that’s something that everybody deals with at a different pace. And I started dealing with it at age six, I started getting concussions,” Rousey said. “I continued to get concussions on a regular basis, you know, a couple times a year, and I wasn’t allowed to talk about it or say anything. As a fighter, you’re not supposed to show any weakness or talk about that stuff.”

Rousey detailed how her entry into WWE further deepened her silence on the subject of head trauma, emphasizing the pervasive nature of this issue across the combat sports spectrum.

“I wanted to move into another area where there’s a lot of stigma around concussions and neurological injuries. And because I wanted to move on to do something else, it also allowed me to stay quiet about this until I was done. … I wish more people (talked about head trauma), because the longevity of our warriors is at stake.”

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As of this writing, the former MMA star appears content with her retirement from the sport. In fact, Rousey doesn’t even want to participate in UFC events, stating that she will only do so under certain conditions.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the “SHAK MMA” podcast and credit Wrestling Inc. for transcription.