UFC president Dana White believes former women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is "ready to fight" again, and she will return to the Octagon in November or December. That could open the door for a rumoured third bout with current champion Miesha Tate.
Appearing on the TMZ Sports TV show, White revealed he had dinner with Rousey shortly before, and when he was asked how she was doing, he said she's in a "great place mentally, physically and emotionally."
Here's a look at the video of the interview:
Rousey hasn't fought since her shock loss against Holy Holm at UFC 193 in November of last year, where she suffered the first loss of her UFC career, per ESPN.com. Holm dominated the fight by keeping her distance and did plenty of damage with kicks and punches, sending Rousey back to her corner a bloody mess after the first round.
In the second round, she delivered a vicious kick to Rousey's throat that knocked her out, a fitting end to what had been a serious beating. Rousey suffered plenty of physical damage in that bout, but the emotional damage may have been worse.
She appeared on the Ellen Degeneres Show and openly admitted she contemplated suicide in the wake of the loss, describing how the defeat made her question her identity:
The 29-year-old has made fewer attempts to steal the headlines since then, leading to questions whether she would return to the Octagon at all. Per TMZ Sports, she shot down chatter about a possible retirement in January, and the focus has since shifted to her next opponent.
A rematch with Holm made most sense from the UFC's perspective, and it's safe to assume Rousey would like to have another crack at the only woman who has bested her in the Octagon. But with Tate defeating Holm at UFC 196 in her first title defence, rumours of a third meeting between the new champion and Rousey have also spread.
In the aftermath of Tate's win, White said he believed the two would meet for a title bout, per Damon Martin of Fox Sports.
Speaking to Maxim (h/t MMAFighting.com's David St. Martin), Tate confirmed she'd be interested in another bout with Rousey, but she doesn't know who the organisation will line up for her next:
I don't know who's going to be next. I still have to talk to the UFC. I've got to let the dust settle and figure out what my options are. [Rousey or Holm] would be excellent fights for sure. Also there's Amanda Nunes. There's Cat Zingano, there's Julianna Pena. I don't want to get fixated on that person until I know who it is. I have to be ready as a champ for anyone, anytime. I have a big target on my back. I'll be ready for whoever.
Rousey has beaten Tate twice, and the current champion was the only fighter to ever make it out of the first round against Rousey until Holm came along. Tate is undefeated since her second loss against Rousey in 2013, per ESPN.com.
For Rousey, a third bout with Tate would likely be most appealing. She knows she can beat the 29-year-old, and it could see her regain the belt on her return to the Octagon.
But that's assuming Tate is willing to wait until the end of the year to fight again. If she doesn't, the UFC could be facing a similar scenario as what happened to Holm, per MMA Supremacy:
An immediate rematch between Holm and Rousey would have been very lucrative for the UFC, and while the two would still do well at the box office should they meet in the future, it wouldn't be the same without a belt on the line.
Holm remains an option, but the former boxing star proved a stylistic mismatch in their first meeting, and Rousey would need a lot of work in camp to get ready for such a fight. If Tate is still the champion by the end of the year and Rousey wants Holm, a title eliminator would be the perfect scenario, but if Rousey plays her cards right, Tate will likely be waiting for her on her return.
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