Stars on Mars: viewers see a different side of Ronda Rousey

With two celebrities gone on Fox’s Stars on Mars, episode 3 titled "Fire in the Hole" followed the 10 remaining contestants as they survived on the Mars simulation show. Cabin fever started to sink in among the group, but, on the positive side, the celebrity astronauts, aka "celebronauts," were starting to really get to know one another. However, that also came with missing their loved ones back on Earth.

If you’re only familiar with Ronda Rousey in the UFC ring—she’s a former professional wrestler and fighter, after all—you may be like some of the other contestants who expected her to be tough and intimidating. However, as Rousey has shown on Stars on Mars, that’s not her everyday persona. 

In a video chat with her young daughter, Rousey broke down in tears. "Hi, my beautiful angel!" she said. Then, unable to say goodbye, she told her husband, "You gotta hang up, I can’t."

One of the sweet ways that Rousey’s true self came out was through the cultivation of the group’s garden. It was a crucial component to their survival (to avoid just living off of freeze-dried foods) and provided a sensory connection to home. Rousey worked a lot in the garden, noting that “I grow lettuce sometimes,” and took pride in her work.

“The garden has definitely helped me keep sane on Mars, it’s like a little bit of home,” Rousey said in her interview. "It’s tough living off of freeze-dried ice cream and everything that’s packaged and processed."

It turns out that at least one contestant was expecting something different from Rousey’s personality.

"Ronda, I love this other side of you. You’re like Earth Mother," said Natasha Leggero, a comedian, actress and writer. "I don’t know, man, I don’t know about that," Rousey replied. "I have a reputation for being an a**hole I have to uphold."

"Ronda is fascinating," Leggero said in her interview. "I was really scared to come here, because people were like, 'she’s a b*tch.' She’s not a b*tch at all. She’s got a huge heart. I’m kind of just in awe of her. Everyone likes her. She just gives you so much."

Stars on Mars fans react to Ronda Rousey’s sweet side

Show fans have been pleasantly surprised to see Rousey's personality shine through on  Stars on Mars. Take a look at some of the things people have been saying on Twitter. 

New episodes of Stars on Mars premiere every Monday at 8 pm ET/PT on Fox. Episodes are available to stream on-demand via Hulu the next day.