UFC President Dana White insists former women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey will stay retired, despite this invitation to return for the UFC 300 pay-per-view (PPV) event in early 2024. That hasn’t stopped the MMA rumor mill from cranking out a new batch of comeback reports.
“She just had a match at SummerSlam and is looking to wind down her time and commitments with WWE,” an unnamed “confidant” told Daily Mail. “She is now focusing on potentially making a run to have one last fight in the UFC and compete at UFC 300 when that presents itself sometime next year.”
The oddsmakers at BetOnline.ag have former 135-pound titleholder Julianna Pena leading the pack of potential UFC opponents, presumable for all the trash that was talked by the 34 year-old “Venezuelan Vixen” over the last several years.
Odds On Ronda Rousey’s Next Opponent:
Julianna Pena: 5/4 (+125)
Raquel Pennington: 3/1 (+300)
Macy Chiasson: 4/1 (+400)
Holly Holm: 5/1 (+500)
Norma Dumont: 6/1 (+600)
Chelsea Chandler: 8/1 (+800)
Irene Aldana: 10/1 (+1000)
The bantamweight division is currently without a champion.
Rousey, 36, ditched UFC after consecutive knockout losses to Holly Holm (UFC 193) and Amanda Nunes (UFC 207). “Lioness” would have a brief rivalry with Pena in 2021 and 2022, before retiring as double champion back in June.
It’s worth noting that Rousey’s longtime nemesis, Miesha Tate, did not make the list.