Ronda Rousey thinks like a winner.
As she told Ellen DeGeneres in February, she's ready to redeem herself after losing to Holly Holm last November. "I really do believe I'm still undefeated because being defeated is a choice," Rousey said. "Everybody has losses in their life, but I choose to always be undefeated."
Technically speaking, Holm ended Rousey's undefeated streak and three-year reign as a UFC champion. But no matter. Rousey has had 13 months to think and to train, and she will return to the octagon for the first time Friday when she faces Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 in Las Vegas.
"Ronda's in the best shape of her life right now," a source tells E! News exclusively. "She's ready to go. She's so focused and determined." Considering what happened during her last fight, the source adds, "Winning this means everything to her."
Rousey has also dropped between 10 and 15 lbs., which makes her on-weight.
"She has a six-pack," the source reveals. "She's in crazy shape."
In a video interview, Rousey gets right to the point. "I don't care about how this pay-per-view does, I don't care how much money I make, I don't care about interviews and I don't care about how I look," she explains. "All I care about is winning my belt back on Friday night, and that's it."
While promoting the pay-per-view event (airing Friday instead of Saturday), UFC president Dana White essentially spoke on Rousey's behalf, as she declined to do any interviews. "Ronda has given more than anybody," White argued. "If you look at the amount of press given by any fighter in UFC history, Ronda smokes everyone by a long shot. This is the way she wanted it. The only thing she cares about is focusing on winning." Calling her "one of the greatest ever," White said, "She's done a lot for her company, done a lot for the sport, done a lot for women. This is what she asked for. She's never asked for much. She asked for this, and we said, 'Yes.'"
Nunes, of course, is ready to face her opponent. "The only thing that's going to make me into a bigger star is to show everybody I can make a statement in this division," the 28-year-old MMA fighter explained to ESPN Wednesday. "Beating Ronda Rousey on that night is all that matters."
The Bantamweight Champion anticipates Rousey will be "more careful" when she fights this Friday. Either way, the Brazilian MMA fighter will be ready. "I'm a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I've been training it for 10 years," she told ESPN. "I know everything she's going to bring."
Will Rousey live up to the hype? Find out when UFC 207 airs Friday at 10 p.m. ET.