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Ronda Rousey confirms she's dating fellow fighter Travis Browne

Travis Browne and Ronda Rousey
Travis Browne and Ronda Rousey

To those emotions in the air at a Ronda Rousey fight—rage, fury, absolute terror on the part of her opponents—we can now add a new one: love.

After UFC heavyweight Travis Browne told a talk show on Monday that he and Rousey are now dating, Rousey confirmed the news ... though neither used the word "dating."

"Dating is for children," Browne said. "Dating is for kids. Over the summer, through all the [business] that I had to shuffle through, that I had to sift through, Ronda and I started talking throughout the summer and I’ll say now that we are together. She’s my woman and I’m her man. There’s no boyfriend, girlfriend stuff. There’s no dating. We’re together."

"I don't talk about my personal life much. That's why it's called 'personal life,'" Rousey said in a statement to ESPN. "It's true that Travis and I are in a relationship. I've really enjoyed the time we have spent together and getting to know one another. And that's all I'm going to say about it."

The [business] to which Browne was referring involved accusations of domestic violence from his ex-wife. A UFC investigation found no evidence of Browne's culpability. "This two-month period has taught me that strength truly does come from within," Browne said in a statement at the time. "Sometimes saying nothing requires more strength than saying everything."

Rousey is one of the most popular athletes in the world, her astonishingly fast takedowns a hallmark of her relentless style. Browne, who trains with Rousey at the Glendale Fighting Club, is expected to return to the arena soon.

It's not the first intra-sport romance; tennis stars often intermingle. NASCAR drivers Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are involved, and unlike most other sports, can compete against each other.

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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter.

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