• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
'Competitive' Ronda Rousey backed to make sensational UFC return

Home> MMA

Published 10:10 27 Jun 2023 GMT+1

'Competitive' Ronda Rousey backed to make sensational UFC return

Ronda Rousey hasn't fought in the UFC since 2016.

Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar

UFC legend Ronda Rousey has been backed to make a sensational return to MMA, having not fought in the famed Octagon since 2016.

Rousey called time on her glittering MMA career shortly after her crushing 48-second defeat to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 back in December 2016.

Her outing against Nunes came after her shocking defeat to Holly Holm, where she surrendered the UFC women's bantamweight championship.

Advert

'Rowdy' has since transitioned to professional wrestling, signing with the WWE - winning the SmackDown Women's Championship and the Raw Women's Championship.

Image: Ronda Rousey on the red carpet for a WWE event. Image: PA
Image: Ronda Rousey on the red carpet for a WWE event. Image: PA

The 36-year-old remains one of the biggest names in the women's fight game despite her inactivity away from the UFC.

Dana White is lacking star power in the women's divisions following Nunes' surprise retirement. The UFC chief could be tempted to lure her back into the MMA world following the promotion's merger with the WWE.

Advert

UFC commentator Jon Anik has tipped Rousey to make a return to MMA and reckons she would be 'competitive'.

"If anyone is worthy of that type of opportunity, it’s probably Ronda Rousey," he said.

"And I do believe she would be competitive because she would not enter that setting without the guarantee that she would be competitive. If ever there was a time, you’re right, it would be absolutely now.

"I'm not gonna sit here and suggest she’d be a betting favourite against Julianna Pena or Raquel Pennington, but I can understand why people would be excited at the possibility."

Anik added: "In a true meritocracy, that’s just not gonna sit well with me, nor that athletes that have been donating blood, sweat, and tears to mixed martial arts over the last several years.

Advert

"I didn’t like that Henry Cejudo came back and cut the line of a bunch of 35ers that have been active. So, it would be hypocritical of me to sit here and say, 'Absolutely, let’s elevate Ronda Rousey and have her return.'

"Even though we can’t settle on two obvious bantamweight contenders right now, it’s not as though there aren’t worthy title challengers. There are four or five women who I think are deserving right now.

"Unfortunately, one of them is not Ronda Rousey, but we’ll see."

Of course, the UFC women's bantamweight title is vacant following Nunes' retirement. She walked away from the sport after her victory over Irene Aldana earlier this month.

Advert

Will Rousey return to the UFC?

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Ronda Rousey, UFC

Nasir Jabbar
Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar is a journalist at SPORTbible. He graduated from Bath Spa University with a BA in Media Communications. He's a combat sport aficionado and has contributed to MMA websites AddictedMMA and CagePotato. Nasir has covered some of the biggest fights, while interviewing the likes of Conor McGregor, Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Darren Till. He's also an avid Bristol City fan.

X

@NasJabbar

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

3 days ago
4 days ago
5 days ago
  • 3 days ago

    UFC fans spot what Donald Trump's secret service security team did when fighter jumped cage in front of US president

    Fans were shocked to see how Trump's security reacted after Merab Dvalishvili's win.

    MMA
  • 4 days ago

    Dana White ruthlessly axes fighter from roster just days after major error at UFC 316

    Dana White has cut a fighter from the roster following UFC 316.

    MMA
  • 5 days ago

    Ariel Helwani drops major update on Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall and slams UFC boss Dana White

    Ariel Helwani hit out at Jon Jones and accused Dana White of not telling the whole story.

    MMA
  • 5 days ago

    Conor McGregor forced to delete post after being destroyed by Game of Thrones actor

    The former UFC champion deleted his latest social post after the brutal reply.

    MMA
  • Ronda Rousey Names The One And Only Fight She'd Come Out Of Retirement For
  • The 20 Richest MMA Fighters In The World In 2022 Have Been Revealed, Ronda Rousey Fails To Make Top 10