Speculation about Ronda Rousey’s potential return to the UFC has intensified in recent weeks after the former champion shared a video of herself training and speaking about “finding her love” for mixed martial arts again. Rousey, who became the inaugural UFC women’s bantamweight champion and one of the sport’s biggest stars, last competed in December 2016.
Following her MMA career, Rousey transitioned to professional wrestling, enjoying major success in WWE. However, renewed talk of a comeback has sparked debate about whether returning to the Octagon would be realistic—or even safe.
UFC commentator and former fighter Din Thomas weighed in on the discussion, saying it would be “irresponsible” for any promotion to book Rousey in a fight after her long hiatus and documented health issues.
“She shouldn’t even be cleared,” Thomas told MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn on The Bohnfire. “How irresponsible would it be for a fight organization to hear all that and then put her in a fight? You can’t play with those issues. It wouldn’t be good for the sport—it would be a really bad look.”
Thomas was referring to Rousey’s 2024 memoir, My Fight, in which she discussed her history of concussions and how they affected her performances during the final stages of her MMA career. Rousey’s back-to-back knockout defeats at UFC 193 and UFC 207 marked a dramatic end to her 12-0 undefeated run and eventual retirement from mixed martial arts.
The commentator added that allowing someone with known neurological issues to compete again would undermine the sport’s integrity and safety standards. “If that’s the case, we’ve got to keep her out of the octagon,” he said.
Rousey Addresses Her Future
Over the weekend, Rousey provided an update when asked by TMZ Sports about her future plans. The 37-year-old dismissed rumors of a comeback, explaining that her focus is on health and personal growth rather than competition.
“I’m running late to the gym right now, but I just had a baby—you know what I mean?” she said. “I’m just trying to get my body identity back. I’m enjoying being in the gym again. I feel a lot better and healthier, just getting back into training for the love of it. That’s something that got lost before.”
While she didn’t respond to a question about potentially fighting at a White House event in 2026, Rousey’s comments suggest that her current motivation lies in personal fulfillment rather than professional fighting.
For now, despite the buzz surrounding her training videos, a UFC return from Ronda Rousey seems unlikely—and, according to some in the sport, unwise.
