Ronda Rousey says voicing the Sonya Blade character in the new version of the “Mortal Kombat” fighting video game brought back memories.
“I found out about Sonya Blade before I found out that my mom was a world judo champion. And so I was already like obsessed with martial arts and Sonya. And yeah it’s nuts. I really kind of emulated myself I think to try and be her as much as possible.” Rousey said on Thursday at a launch event for “Mortal Kombat 11” in Los Angeles.
The former Olympics judo champion, turned mixed martial arts fighter, turned actress and pro wrestler, says she spent several days voicing the character — a fan favourite in the combat franchise that began as an arcade game in 1992.
Her role in the game was revealed Thursday at an event where hundreds of fans had gathered to get their hands on the game for the first time.
“This franchise just means so much to so many people and I just want everybody that is so invested in ‘Mortal Kombat’ to know that I am just as invested and just as excited to be part of this – if not more. And I just want to blow it out of the park and prove everyone right that this is the right decision and I really am Sonya Blade.”
The 31-year-old performer and fighter says it’s only right that she voice the character who had such a huge impact on her ambitions and aspirations as a kid.
“I really kind of emulated myself I think to try and be her as much as possible. But then watching the gameplay, I’m like is it really a complete coincidence they put a rolling arm bar — my absolute favorite arm bar that I’ve been training my whole life — in this game? I don’t know — maybe it is the influence goes back and forth. But yeah it could have been that I tried to become Sonya, then Sonya became me, and then I became Sonya again. It’s one of those chicken or the egg questions.”
“Mortal Kombat 11” is due out April 23 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.
