Just a day after being revealed as the new cover star for EA Sports’ UFC 2, Ronda Rousey loses her undefeated streak to Holly Holms. This is not the first time we have seen an athlete experience a slight curse after being named a cover star. This is quite common in the Madden series with the Madden curse. As both games are developed by EA, many wonder if the curse has spread.
Some examples of the Madden Curse:
- Barry Sanders (Madden 2000 cover) – Abruptly retired before training camp.
- Daunte Culpepper (Madden 2002 cover) – Threw 23 interceptions as Vikings went 5-11. Blew out both knees in 2005 and 2006.
- Donovan McNabb (Madden 2006 cover) – Tore ACL and meniscus.
The curse had previously been reserved for NFL athlethes, but with Rousey’s loss it appears to have spread. It had been a long time since a sport had seen such a dominate athlete in their division like Rousey. It comes as a complete shock to many that she lost in such a dominating fashion as well. Leading many to believe that the Madden curse is now also the UFC curse.