Could Ronda Rousey be planning a UFC return at 38 years old? The mother of two is adding fuel to the growing speculation.
Ronda Rousey will go down as one of the most influential figures in mixed martial arts history. For much of its existence, the UFC was an all-male fight company. However, in the early 2010s, women’s MMA really started to get some momentum after years of being marginalized. And love her or hate her, Ronda Rousey was a huge part of that shift.
- Ronda Rousey record: 12-2 (3 knockouts, 9 submissions)
The interest she generated while fighting for Strikeforce drew the attention of the UFC, and she became one of their biggest additions when they purchased the rival promotion. Over an eight-fight run in the Octagon, Rousey became one of the UFC’s biggest mainstream stars and completely changed the narrative on the value of women’s MMA.
However, after a pair of knockout losses in 2015 and 2016, she walked away from the sport. Eventually transitioning to a successful career in professional wrestling with WWE. While fans have asked and speculated for years about a potential return to MMA, Rousey has always shot the idea down and claimed that concussions are a major hindrance to a comeback.
But the former UFC bantamweight queen is sure adding fuel to the rumblings of a return to fighting.
Related: UFC tonight – Get a look at the upcoming UFC schedule
How realistic is a Ronda Rousey UFC return this year?
After recovering from giving birth to her second child, Ronda Rousey has been posting a lot of interesting workout videos. They aren’t just her doing pilates or cardio, they are very much fight-geared. Three weeks ago, she even posted a video of a grappling session with one-time opponent Cat Zingano.
Then, this week, she uploaded a video on Instagram of her doing ground and pound training. There are so many ways for her to get back in shape after pregnancy. It is certainly interesting that she is doing work that is leaning toward fight sports. But could she actually be gearing up for a return?
There is a great deal of evidence that a sustained amount of rest can do wonders for athletes with concussion issues. It is possible that her limited action in professional wrestling over the last few years further helped her brain heal.
Nevertheless, she was woman-handled in her last two fights, and those came nearly a decade ago in her prime. At 38, it seems highly unlikely she will get back in the Octagon for a full-fledged MMA fight. Fighting is in her blood, but getting a taste of it in the gym instead of an actual cage will probably be more than enough for the former UFC and WWE champion.
Related: Boxing tonight – Get a look at fights this week on ESPN, DAZN, and more