Ronda Rousey often gets credit from fans and fellow fighters for paving the way for women’s MMA. But after a dominant run, her career flipped on its head. In 2015, ‘Rowdy’ took her first professional loss against Holly Holm at UFC 193, then got stopped by Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 a year later, killing her comeback before it even started. After those back-to-back brutal defeats, Rousey completely distanced herself from MMA, convinced she’d never return, and tried her hand in WWE. However, eight years later, the former 135-pound queen’s comeback feels more possible than ever. All thanks to Kayla Harrison.

Right now, the women’s bantamweight champion is gearing up to welcome Amanda Nunes back into the Octagon at UFC 324’s co-main event, and that’s going to be a tough fight for her. But Harrison’s team is already looking ahead. Her manager, Ali Abdelaziz, told TMZ they have two options lined up if Harrison defeats Nunes on January 27. First is Valentina Shevchenko at 135 pounds, then a potential Ronda Rousey fight, if she returns. And with the 135-pound champ’s camp showing interest, ‘Rowdy’s resurfaced video of her hitting mitts only adds more fuel to the fire.  

Ronda Rousey’s training video adds fuel to her comeback against Kayla Harrison 

MMA Uncensored posted a clip on X titled “Ronda Rousey shares her progress in MMA after having two kids,” and it showed a pretty wild transformation. The video highlighted how Rousey returned to training after eight years, just eight weeks after giving birth, then moved into her first mitt session before progressing to full pad work by the eight-month mark. Honestly, that’s remarkable.

Originally, the former UFC bantamweight champion shared the video on her Instagram nine weeks ago. She was training with former Bellator and Strikeforce fighter AJ Matthews, while her family, including her little one, watched from the sidelines. That moment definitely lit a spark for Rousey to work her way back toward the Octagon and chase one more fight. But the big question still hangs in the air: is it actually possible?  

One of the biggest reasons Rousey walked away from MMA in the first place was her concussion issues, something she opened up about in her book Our Fight. After taking repeated shots to the head, she developed neurological problems that basically forced her into retirement.

But after all these years, those effects may have calmed down, and maybe that’s why she’s finally thinking about coming back. Now, the real question is: when would she return?  The White House event? Probably not. 

‘Rowdy’ will not fight at the White House 

Even before the UFC’s coveted White House event becomes official, plenty of fighters don’t want to miss their chance to be part of it. A spectacle of that size has Jon Jones practically begging Dana White for a spot in front of the American crowd, and it even motivated Conor McGregor to step out of his ultra-lux lifestyle and get back to training. But for Ronda Rousey, that hype doesn’t move the needle at all.

“I am not fighting at the White House,” Rousey said on The Lapsed Fan Podcast. “After Mike Tyson being the biggest fight of the year against Jake Paul, you never say never on a return. But I ain’t fighting on the f— White House. I got better s-t to do. My kid needs pasta.”

Rousey isn’t the only one brushing the idea off. Recently, UFC flyweight contender Brandon Royval also showed zero interest in fighting at the White House, saying he isn’t trying to perform in front of politicians and billionaires. With that, Dana White can already scratch two names off his list for next year’s grand show.

That said, if Ronda Rousey truly gears up for a comeback, do you see her going straight for Kayla Harrison? Or do you think she actually returns? Let us know in the comments below.