It's not only success that is driving Ronda Rousey as she prepares for her UFC bantamweight title defence against Holly Holm.
For all her triumphs since joining the UFC, where she is undefeated with a record of 12-0, the past still haunts Rousey, specifically world championship (final) and Olympic (bronze medallist) losses in judo.
Come Sunday at Melbourne's Etihad Stadium, in front of what is expected to be a record crowd of 63,000 for a UFC event, the pressure and fear of losing will be magnified.
Rousey - while confident of victory - says the more she wins, the greater her fear of losing grows.
"The most uncomfortable scenario is that I'm the best and I have the most pressure. It's like the pressure from a bullet shoots me out of the gun," Rousey said.
"My fear of failure is larger than anyone else's, and it's increasing with every single fight.
"I don't shy away from it. I am extremely fearful but I don't have a single doubt in my mind (when it comes to winning)."
The American has gone through many ways she thinks the fight could play out, but knows sometimes things don't go to plan in UFC.
"That's the environment I do the best in ... I fight above myself. I do better when the pressure and the fear is the highest."
But what of the undefeated (9-0) Holm? Compared to Rousey, the New Mexico native is very reserved and her calm demeanour and boxing background as a world champion means she won't be overawed.
She is also regarded as one of the best pure strikers in women's mixed martial arts, but Rousey, who is renowned for her aggression, believes attacking Holm won't see her get knocked out.
"I have really fragile hands but I have a great chin. I am very confident in my ability to take a hit," Rousey said, suggesting she might wear a few punches to get inside against her opponent.
Rousey said earlier in the week that 'nobody has been ready to fight her' but Holm believes she is as prepared as anyone.
"I do feel like I am better prepared because she showed nobody has been prepared enough, she has run through them, so I have to feel I am going to be prepared better than that," said Holm.
"We have a gameplan for every piece of it.
"I don't want to be so focused on staying on the outside, there is a gameplan for every aspect.
"I am not just betting on one area."
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