What would it take to lure Ronda Rousey out of retirement?
A showdown against her mixed martial arts (MMA) idol: none other than former Strikeforce headliner and one-time “face of women’s MMA” Gina Carano. That’s according to comments “Rowdy” made during a recent episode of The Kurt Angle Show.
“There’s only one person I would come back for,” Rousey said (transcribed by Post Wrestling). “I mean, I’ve said it a million times. It’s not like it’s something new but, for Gina man. 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. It’s a respect thing, not like a, ‘Fuck 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.”
Rousey (12-3), now 35, walked away from combat sports after losing consecutive fights to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, both by way of knockout. As for the 40 year-old Carano (7-1), she called it quits after getting smashed by Cris Cyborg back in summer 2009.
“If she ever was like, ‘Ronda, I wanna fight you tomorrow at 205 pounds,’ like whatever the hell she’d want — I’m not saying she’s 205 pounds — 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,” Rousey continued. “I will fight Gina wherever she wants and if she doesn’t want to forever, leave it.”
The fight nearly happened back in 2014 until those “pain in the ass lawyers” got involved and put an end to the potential dream matchup.
Or maybe it was those “disgusting” text messages.