Ronda Rousey Next Fight: 'Rowdy' Confirms Rematch With Holly Holm Happening in 2016
Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey has finally broken her silence, and touched on the floating issue of her return to MMA fighting.
Speaking to TMZ, Rousey stressed in an interview that a rematch with Holm is something that she wants to happen, dousing water on retirement speculation.
"They haven't told me an exact date or location. It's a decision we're all going to make together. I'm kind of waiting to hear from them on what options they're going to give me," says Rousey.
This comes almost a week after Rousey reportedly requested more time off from UFC president Dana White, Yahoo Sports reported. That included passing on UFC 200, which was earlier speculated as the event where the rematch would happen.
Rousey is set to appear on the film remake “Roadhouse” but there were changes in film scheduling. Aside from that, the former UFC champ is hooked up with other film projects like Mile 22 and another project opposite Tina Fey titled “Do Nothing Bitches” with Universal Pictures, as per ESPN.
Rousey’s remarks affirm White’s earlier statement that the Rowdy will “100 percent” fight in 2016. The UFC president revealed this when he appeared on Sports Illustrated’s SI Now.
Rousey’s request for some time off spurred speculations that the former UFC champion may never return to the Octagon after that jarring defeat at the hands of Holm back in November at UFC 193.
Holm used her boxing skills to the max and capped the one-sided match with a solid kick to the head of Rousey. It was considered one of the top shockers in UFC history.
However, as far as White is concerned, the best is yet to come. He considers the rematch as one of the biggest fights that will take place in UFC history, and all that will happen in 2016.
With the Holm vs. Rousey rematch still uncertain, the reigning UFC Women’s bantamweight champion will make her first title defense against Miesha Tate this coming March at UFC 197.
The upcoming fight promises to be interesting, with Holm needing to overpower Tate and hold on to the title until Rousey is ready to return.
Though she did showcase a masterful fight when she snagged the title at UFC 193, the story is different since Tate is an entirely different fighter compared to Rousey.
The Holm vs. Tate match is the co-main event for UFC 197. The other tiff will see the debut of UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor in the lightweight division, where he will face no other than the UFC lightweight champion himself, Rafael dos Anjos.
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