Ronda Rousey Names The One And Only Fight She'd Come Out Of Retirement For
Ronda Rousey hasn't fought in MMA since December 2016.
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Topics: Ronda Rousey, UFC
Nasir Jabbar
Topics: Ronda Rousey, UFC
UFC legend Ronda Rousey has named the one and only fight she'd come out of retirement for, saying it's a 'respect' thing.
Rousey, 35, hasn't fought in MMA since her crushing first round defeat to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 back in December 2016.
She called time on her career after suffering back-to-back defeats, forging a career in professional wrestling - signing for WWE.
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But she's flirted with the idea of returning to the cage, naming the only fighter who could make her return to the sport.
The former UFC women's bantamweight champion says she would come back for the original women's MMA poster girl Gina Carano.
Rousey added that Carano was the reason she got into fighting and described the call out as a 'respect' thing.
"There’s only one person I would come back for," she said via MMA Fighting.
"I’ve said it a million times, it’s not like it’s something new but for Gina, Gina Carano.
"She’s the reason why I got into fighting, she’s the reason why I knew it was a possibility.
"I will always be forever grateful."
Rousey added: "If she ever was like, 'Ronda, I want to fight you tomorrow, 205 pounds,' like, whatever the hell she wants - I’m not saying she’s 205 pounds, I’m sure she’s very svelte - if she wanted to come into my backyard and do the Rocky thing or, you know, 'ding ding' and we just do it in the backyard, I don’t care.
"I will fight Gina wherever she wants. Even if she doesn’t want to forever, leave that offer there.
"It’s a respect thing, not like a, ‘F**k you. I’m coming to get you.' It’s just like, 'Hey, if you ever wanna pull that card out, it’s there.'
"I love her. Thank you, Gina, for everything you’ve done."
Carano hasn't competed in MMA since August 2009 when she lost to Cris Cyborg.
She's pursued a career in Hollywood, starring in the likes of Haywire, Fast & Furious 6 and Deadpool.
The 40-year-old returning to fighting seems unlikely, but the prospect of facing Rousey could tempt her to don a pair of MMA gloves.