Ronda Rousey’s fighting days are likely over.
The legacy of the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion looks set to be defined by her final pair of Octagon outings as her early career dominance came to a crunching halt over the 13 months which saw Rousey viciously taken apart on the feet on two occasions.
‘Rowdy’ enjoyed a flawless beginning to her MMA career as she stormed through 11 opponents over 12 fights with zero resistance.
But Rousey’s deficiencies in the striking department were made abundantly clear in late 2015 when the unfancied Holly Holm unceremoniously robbed the former Olympic bronze medallist of her consciousness in Australia.
Rousey understandably took more than a year off to focus on her stand-up and was rewarded with a title shot upon a comeback that didn’t go according to plan as defending 135lbs champion Amanda Nunes dismantled the former title-holder in 48 seconds.
All of a sudden, a banker for the UFC hall-of-fame was staring retirement dead in the eyes.
Rousey’s next move dominated the headlines and it would indeed appear that she’s taped the 4oz. gloves for the final time as UFC president Dana White has revealed that, judging by a recent conversation, Rousey was done.
“It’s funny you asked me that today, [because] I literally talked to her this morning on the way to the gym,” White said on the UFC Unfiltered podcast, as transcribed by Yahoo! Sports.
“She’s good, man. Her spirits are good. She’s doing her thing. In the conversation that I had with her, If I had to say right here, right now – and, again, I don’t like saying right here, right now, [because] it’s up to her and [it’s] her thing – but I wouldn’t say she fights again.
“I think she’s probably done. She’s going to ride off into the sunset and start living her life outside of fighting.”
Yahoo! reporter Kevin Iole sought clarification on that statement and received it in a subsequent text message from the UFC boss.
“I have no idea if she will retire,” White wrote. “I just feel like [from] my conversation with her, [it] seemed like she might be done.”
