Rumors continue to swirl regarding the possible return of women’s MMA pioneer ‘Rowdy’ Ronda Rousey following Amanda Nunes’ retirement from the sport last month.
After running roughshod over the bantamweight and featherweight divisions for nearly a decade, Nunes walked away from the sport following a decisive unanimous decision victory over Irene Aldana at UFC 289. Since her announcement, bantamweight contenders have come out of the woodwork, looking for a title opportunity now that the division is essentially wide open.
The likeliest scenario will see the division’s top two ranked contenders, Julianna Pena and Raquel Pennington, square off for the vacant 135-pound crown, but recent rumors suggest that fans could witness the return of the promotion’s first-ever female world champion, Ronda Rousey.