The former UFC bantamweight champion remains one of the biggest stars the promotion has ever seen. Ronda Rousey left the UFC in 2016 after back-to-back knockout losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes. Seeking a new direction, the 2008 Beijing Olympics bronze medalist transitioned to WWE in 2018, making her debut at WrestleMania 34. She quickly became a marquee name, winning both the Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championships and the 2022 Royal Rumble. By then, Rousey was already a mother, but her WWE run came to an end in October 2023 after a SummerSlam loss to Shayna Baszler. Frustrated with WWE’s creative direction under Vince McMahon, she decided to walk away. Earlier this year, in January, Rousey gave birth to her second daughter.

Seven months later, after sharing her strength training routine with fans, speculation about a potential UFC comeback began to swirl. Alongside the buzz, Rousey’s longtime coach now opened up about his bond with the 12-2 fighter and reflected on the role his training played in her rise through the UFC. So what did he say?

Ronda Rousey’s brother is her forever teammate

In a recent interview with Paddy Pimblett, judo master Justin “JFLO” Flores reflected on his longtime bond with Ronda Rousey. He revealed that his father was Rousey’s godfather and became a father figure in her life for nearly a decade. Flores recalled that even Rousey’s trademark “scowl” came from advice passed down by his dad. “To look through them, through the scowl…my dad coached her on that look. Such a weird thing,” Flores said, noting how it became part of her persona in combat sports.

Flores also explained how Rousey trained with him and his brother from an early age, insisting she be treated no differently than anyone else. “She only wanted to go with me and my brother because we were the only two that treated her like a dude,” he shared. The sessions were tough, often leaving Rousey in tears, but Flores believes this tough-love approach, combined with her mother’s influence and other coaches’ guidance, helped shape her into a world-class judoka.

As teammates on international trips, Flores said he often took on the role of a “big brother” to Rousey, making sure she stayed out of trouble while competing against adults as a teenager. “She was so good that she was travelling with the seniors,” he recalled, describing how unusual it was for someone so young to perform at that level. For Flores, those years forged both their bond and Rousey’s competitive edge.

Flores also recounted where he was during one of Rousey’s breakthrough MMA moments. He was at his son’s baseball game, watching the fight on his phone with just 1% battery. “My phone dies…I did not even know what happened,” he said. When he finally recharged it, he was flooded with messages before his phone crashed from the volume of alerts. Looking back, Flores admitted it felt like everything had come together perfectly: “It did kind of give me, like, man, it all kind of means something.” But the bigger question is, will Ronda Rousey really return to the UFC?

Ronda Rousey might have eyes on White House fight card

Earlier this month, Ronda Rousey gave fans a glimpse into her training routine. On Instagram, the 38-year-old shared a clip of herself performing strength training exercises, writing, “I’ve lost the baby weight but yet to regain my pre-babies muscle.”

The 38-year-old explained that her motivation wasn’t about appearances but health, admitting her joints are “fu–ed up” and need support from stronger muscles “so I can live relatively pain-free.” While she confessed, “I’m not the biggest fan of lifting weights in general,” she also revealed, “Cleans were always my favorite – and one of my favorite tools to add explosiveness and muscle where I need it.”

She reminded fans, “I’m not a powerlifter and I’m sure my form is atrocious to the experts, but the utility of this exercise is too good to ignore.” Although she never hinted at a comeback, many fans took it as a sign. So now a mother of two, the question is: will Ronda Rousey truly be willing to put her body and her life on the line again?

Some fans are arguing she could headline a UFC card even after years away, while others are questioning whether the division has passed her by with stars like Julianna Peña, Raquel Pennington, and Mayra Bueno Silva emerging. That split fan sentiment mirrors the intrigue UFC executives often look for when considering blockbuster returns.

Adding to the intrigue, UFC President Dana White previously told reporters in 2022 that he “would never count Ronda out of anything,” a statement that still circulates whenever rumors of a comeback gain momentum.

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