'Absolutely, positively never coming back, ever' - Dana White slams the door shut on Ronda Rousey comeback talk
Dana White has slammed the door shut on Ronda Rousey's comeback talk. The MMA world has lately been abuzz with speculation surrounding Ronda Rousey’s archrival Miesha Tate's MMA return. This has led many to speculate whether Rousey, too, would consider returning to the sport.
Miesha Tate had retired from MMA in November 2016. A former UFC women’s bantamweight champion, Cupcake recently announced that she’ll be returning to the sport of MMA.
According to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Miesha Tate will fight Marion Reneau at a UFC Fight Night event on July 17th, 2021. The fight will mark Tate’s return to MMA and the UFC, while also serving as Reneau’s retirement fight.
One of the key points of discussion that has arisen with Miesha Tate’s MMA comeback is that of her archrival Ronda Rousey. Certain sections of the combat sports world believe that Tate’s comeback might lure 'The Rowdy One' out of retirement.
Regardless, as reported by TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter, UFC president Dana White has asserted that Ronda Rousey isn’t ever going to return to professional MMA competition again. In regards to Ronda Rousey’s rumored return, Dana White stated:
"Absolutely, positively never coming back, ever."
Meanwhile, Miesha Tate has stated the following to ESPN about ending retirement and returning to the UFC:
"My heart is full of passion, the fire has been lit!"
"The sport has been calling for me, it's time I answer."
Ronda Rousey is hailed by martial artists and combat sports enthusiasts worldwide as a bona fide fighting legend
Ronda Rousey is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in sports history. Rousey is revered as a women’s MMA pioneer and is also credited for helping elevate both women’s and men’s MMA to great heights of success in mainstream popular culture.
A widely respected American Judoka, Ronda Rousey won a bronze medal in Judo at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Rousey is also a former Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion and a former UFC women’s bantamweight champion. She’s also a UFC Hall of Famer and the first female inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame.
Ronda Rousey’s most recent fight was a first-round TKO loss against Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 in December 2016. In the ensuing years, Rousey has been known to give ambiguous statements when questioned about whether or not she has officially retired from the sport of MMA.
Nevertheless, Ronda Rousey’s legacy as one of MMA and combat sports’ all-time-greats remains intact irrespective of her sudden departure from the sport. The vast majority of fight fans and experts credit Rousey for helping MMA and the UFC reach a wider, more diverse audience worldwide.
Furthermore, Ronda Rousey also went on to succeed in the professional wrestling-based sports-entertainment sphere – the WWE, to be specific. Rousey is a former WWE RAW women’s champion.
Would you like to see Ronda Rousey return to MMA and compete in the UFC? Sound off in the comments.