Ronda Rousey is the best known figure in the short history of mixed martial arts (she was just six years old when the UFC debuted on 12 November 1993). And like her generation, and like her sport, she has a few tattoos, here and there.

One of them was used to verify that a ‘leaked’ image of a woman wearing nothing but paint on her butt was in fact Rousey.

Next … the PROOF

The right wrist of the ‘leaked’ swimsuit issue has a distinctive tattoo. You can see it close up above. It is the emblem of Kodokan Judo, the original school of Judo founded by Jigoro Kano. It is the eight-petaled flower of the cherry tree, and is sometimes displayed with the Japanese characters for ju (gentleness, softness, yielding, or flexibility) and do (way, road, path, or teaching). The cherry blossom was a central symbol for the samurai because as it reaches the height of its beauty, it falls to the ground and dies. Samurai too had to be willing to die in their prime, so the cherry blossom was evidence this was natural, and even beautiful.

The work was done by Hilmar Ramos.

Rousey represented her country in the Olympics, which brings us to our next logo

The cropping of this image is extremely carefully done. It is just high enough so that you can’t see what she calls her “cash and prizes.” But it is just low enough so that you can see the Olympic logo tattooed as low as you can go on her left him.

The five interlaced rings, in one or in five different colors (left to right, blue, yellow, black, green, red), represent the union of the five continents, and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games.

Ronda’s left wrist, has a tattoo, too, but the symbol is more modern.

On Rousey’s left wrist, she has an eight-sided representation of the Octagon. There are various stories about the genesis of the distinctive UFC fighting arena. In one telling, it was the work of art director Jason Cusson. He didn’t know anything about martial arts, but was familiar with the 1980 Chuck Norris vehicle “The Octagon.”

“It was just the name of it,” said Cusson to Jake Rossen. “I don’t even remember if there was an actual octagon in the movie. … I had no martial arts background. The reason there’s an Octagon is because of Chuck Norris.”

There are in fact two Octagon’s in The Octagon – a sandy area for sparring marked off by wooden posts, and the building where the film’s climactic scene takes place.

Moving down, Rousey’s right ankle and foot are adorned with multiple tattoos.

Rousey has four tattoos on her right foot. The Greek laurel wreath tattoo above, was the logo for the 2004 Athens games; although Rousey, then just 17, did not medal, she was the youngest member of the US Judo team. She came four years later at the 2008 Beijing games, winning bronze. She also has a second set of Olympic Rings. And she has the motto for the Olympic Games (Citius, Altius, Fortius) meaning Swifter, Higher, Stronger. On the inside of her foot are the words Every Second. The fourth tattoo appears to be a wreath variation.

This just leaves Rousey’s other foot…

A Rousey related social media account contains the line “Protected by God, Hated by many, Respected by all.” That is the text of the line encircling her ankle.

So that is a recap of Ronda Rousey’s known tattoos to date. But she recently turned 29, so there is plenty of time, and space, for more.

The end. Or is it the beginning?