Ronda Rousey is back—but she might not be back for long.
The former UFC bantamweight champion spoke publicly for the first time since her return to the Octagon was confirmed, saying on Tuesday’s episode of The Ellen Show that UFC 207—where she will fight Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight belt—could be one of her “last fights,” and that retirement’s not too far off.
The Best-Built Bodies in the UFC >>>
"I'm wrapping it up," Rousey said. "This is definitely one of my last fights. Everybody better watch because the show isn't going to be around forever."
Rousey’s fight against Nunes will come in Las Vegas on December 30, her first bout since her shocking loss to Holly Holm on November 15, 2015.
Rousey has mostly stayed out of the spotlight since her loss to Holm, but she’ll be front and center when she headlines the Las Vegas event—and she has some major support behind her. Superstar fighter Conor McGregor and UFC President Dana White both defended Rousey against critics, with the Irish featherweight champion saying that Rousey should “shut up” the haters with her next performance.
In his Men's Fitness cover feature story, White said he's looking forward to Rousey’s return to the Octagon, and that she’s “busted her ass” to get back to this point.
White is heavily focused on UFC 205, which marks the sport's return to New York after a lengthy ban. It's a banner event—and it could be one of the UFC's biggest earners ever—with the McGregor–Eddie Alvarez battle for the lightweight belt headlining the evening's proceedings at Madison Square Garden. The fight card also includes notable names like Tyron Woodley, Chris Weidman, Miesha Tate, and Stephen Thompson.