Ronda Rousey addresses domestic violence allusions brought on by story in her book

Ronda Rousey believes she was just defending herself.

A story from the UFC women's bantamweight champion's autobiography, My Fight/Your Fight, recounts a situation where Rousey repeatedly struck an ex-boyfriend after he took inappropriate photos of her while she was sleeping. Rousey said in the book that the man was blocking her exit from a home and also attempted to stop her from driving away in a car.

Rousey was asked about the situation Thursday at UFC 193 media day in Melbourne, Australia in light of recent articles from Yahoo! Sports, USA Today and the Washington Post questioning whether the MMA star committed an act of domestic violence.

"Legally, if somebody blocks your exit, it's considered kidnapping," Rousey said. "I was in that situation before when I got in a fight at a movie theater and my exit was blocked and people wouldn't let me out. Legally, you cannot do that. It's considered a self-defense scenario."

Rousey defends her belt against Holly Holm in the main event of UFC 193 on Saturday night at Etihad Stadium. The UFC is attempting to set its all-time attendance record in the cavernous facility.

However, controversy has stemmed from that particular excerpt in her book with mainstream media latching onto it this week.

"I punched him in the face with a straight right, then a left hook. He staggered back and fell against the door," Rousey wrote. "... I slapped him with my right hand. He still wouldn't move. Then I grabbed him by the neck of his hoodie, kneed him in the face and tossed him aside on the kitchen floor."

In the book, Rousey referred to the ex-boyfriend as "Snappers McCreepy," because he allegedly took naked photos of her while she was asleep. She found the pics and obviously was not happy about the situation.

Rousey, 28, the undefeated champion and former Olympic judo bronze medalist, said Thursday (Friday afternoon in Melbourne) that she was simply using a mean of defense against someone attempting to impede her from leaving.

"So if someone is blocking you into an apartment and not letting you leave, you're entitled to defend yourself and find a way out," Rousey said. "If you're trying to grab your car and leave and they're grabbing your steering wheel and saying that you can't leave, that's technically you being kidnapped and you can defend yourself in any ways necessary."

Rousey (12-0) finished her explanation to the reporter with a wink.

"I have lawyers that check these things out," she said.