MMA today arguably doesn't exist without the efforts of those guys. I think Bruce Lee and Joe Lewis are a bit of a stretch, but Lebell and Rickson Gracie are definitely in line with this, IMO.
Come on. You don't do MMA. Let's not go back to the early 2000s, when there was a "I boxed in college and train in Tibetan Goose Neck Kung Fu, so TECHNICALLY I'm a mixed martial artist, too!" No. You're not.
MMA doesn't mean UFC alone, but it most certainly does refer specifically to the sport of Mixed Martial Arts, where the UFC is at the apex. In the same way that basketball refers to the sport, where the NBA is at the apex.
I think she retired at exactly the right time. She had a one dimensional skillset, and benefited from a fledgling division in which she was one of only a few experienced, elite fighters. Like Royce Gracie, she is a pioneer and all credit to her. She retired on top and good for her for being smart enough to do so. Had she remained in the sport, she would have had to really elevate her striking game to remain competitive.
