Ronda Rousey UFC return rumors shut down

Ronda Rousey UFC return rumors shut down

The Ronda Rousey UFC return rumors were fun while they lasted. UFC reporter Ariel Helwani shut down a potential Rousey return as he made it clear “Rowdy” is not considering a UFC return. 

Ronda Rousey is not considering a UFC comeback, I’m told.

No truth to the rumors started yesterday.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 13, 2023

The Rousey UFC return rumors gained a ton of traction after UFC women’s featherweight Chelsea Chandler told reporters at UFC Vegas 77 media day that the former champion was making a return. Ultimately, Chandler seems to be misinformed. 

If Rousey, 36, were to make a return to the UFC, the time would be now. After Amanda Nunes’ retirement, the women’s bantamweight and featherweight divisions have vacant titles. That makes it far more likely that Rousey would have returned to a title fight. Additionally, Rousey has reportedly given the WWE a hard-out date.  

It should not necessarily be a shock that Rousey is not considering a UFC return. The pioneer of women’s MMA had a sensational career, but it quickly went south. Rousey ended her career with consecutive knockout losses.

It is hard to envision that Rousey would have had a ton of UFC success in 2023. The sport has evolved greatly since her retirement in 2016. At this point, she would likely struggle against elite competition. 

Rousey has found a lot of success outside of MMA. This began with her time in professional wrestling, but she has dived into acting as well. At this point in her life, Rousey has a lot on her plate outside of competition.

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With Rousey out of the fold. The UFC is left to find title challengers for the women’s bantamweight and featherweight divisions. At the moment, there are a few appealing options at bantamweight, but the featherweight division is not as strong. It would not be a surprise if the UFC closed the division entirely.

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