Ten years on from her last UFC fight, Ronda Rousey is reportedly plotting a shock comeback to the octagon.
The former women’s bantamweight champion stepped away from mixed martial arts after a resounding 48-second defeat against Amanda Nunes back in 2016.
Since her departure from the UFC, Rousey went on to make a name for herself in the wrestling business, winning multiple WWE championships.
The 38-year-old stepped away from the company in 2023 and is unlikely to wrestle again after publicly bashing the organization.
Instead, the mother-of-two has been linked with a sensational return to the UFC – rumors which escalated after Rousey posted training footage on her social media channels.
Former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen believes the Hall of Famer is gearing up for a showdown against the winner of the much-anticipated title fight between Amanda Nunes and Kayla Harrison.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Sonnen said: “Ronda Rousey, going to come back, and fight the winner of [Nunes vs Harrison], as long as the winner is Kayla.
“Now this is a story, and let me tell you what part of this I can confirm. I can confirm the story came from Ronda. In this space, it’s always ‘Ronda’s camp, one of Ronda’s people.’ I understand those things. But it was.
“The absolute inner circle of Ronda has let it be known that she will take on the winner of Amanda and Kayla, as long as it’s Kayla. So in other words: ‘I’ll return to fight for the title, if Kayla needs an opponent’…[but] that’s not how comebacks go.”
Harrison will be ‘p****d off’ at Ronda Rousey
Sonnen has doubts about Rousey’s potential return, and believes Harrison won’t be thrilled with the news.
The two MMA superstars were previously roommates and training partners during their judo careers. The pair also trained together for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Sonnen added: “It is the rumour, though…if the word gets to Kayla that Ronda said that, that could have some hard feelings.
“Those two know each other, those two worked out together, supposed to have some kind of a bond.
“And when Kayla finds out, she’s going to be half flattered and half p****d off.
“Ronda versus Kayla, not only will not happen, Ronda Rousey competing at anything at 135 pounds, also not gonna happen.”
Ronda Rousey to fix UFC’s star shortage?
At the height of her career, Rousey was the UFC’s biggest name and became the face of the company, helping to take the sport mainstream.
The American mixed martial artist defended her UFC title six times before suffering a devastating knockout defeat to Holly Holm at UFC 193.
Should Rousey return, it would certainly come at a good time for the MMA organzation, which is currently struggling for mainstream star power.
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