UFC legend Ronda Rousey has ruffled some feathers with her latest fight negotiations with Olympic boxer Katie Taylor. The worst part? This won’t be an MMA bout, but rather a major boxing superfight between the icons.

The fight is anticipated to raise the heat in Las Vegas in the summer of 2026. The catch is that Rousey has never been known for her striking in the UFC. In fact, her two KO losses at the end of her career go a long way to show the weak link in ‘Rowdy’s otherwise dominating game. Looks like the announcement has brought an early summer to all across social media, as clips of her shadow boxing have resurfaced.

Fans roast Ronda Rousey’s shadow boxing, again

The Olympic judoka and former bantamweight champion stepped away from the fighting scene in 2016, after her second career loss against Amanda Nunes. Now, a decade later, comeback talks are bubbling up. But her plans to make her debut in the boxing scene seem to have turned fans away.

BoxingEnthusiast on X was quick to rip Rousey’s striking apart, sharing a video clip of her shadow boxing from 2015. They wrote: “Katie Taylor is going to embarrass Ronda Rousey‼️ Her technique is god awful 🤦‍♂️ 🤣.” Now, fans have jumped into the trash-talk episode.

Tossing digs at ‘Rowdy’s questionable movements, one user commented, “She’s gonna [injure] herself shadow boxing.” Another fan matched the sentiment, taking the joke to a cut above: “She’s now 0-1 in shadow boxing.” Others took the critique to a more technical standpoint.

“She’s never been good with hands. In fact when she started using her hands more instead of grapples, subs and wrestling techniques, is when she started losing the way she did,” a user suggested on her steep decline from an undefeated streak to back-to-back KO losses. Another user kept it blunt: “That’s the worst hook I’ve ever seen 😬”

Bringing up a Joe Rogan reference, when the podcaster called out Rousey to implement a more “well-rounded” approach, one user wrote, “Will never forget Joe Rogan glazing her boxing 😭.” Well, we wish the throwbacks ended here. Contrary to that, an X-user mentioned her spine-tingling bout with striker Holly Holm that ended in a KO: “Remember that time she thought she was gonna stand up and box (even though she’s a grappler) one of the greatest female boxers of all time?😂😂”

One fan bluntly predicted a KO win for Katie Taylor by the 2nd round. Posting a GIF of her shadow boxing, the user added the cherry on top: “Ronda Rousey by 2nd round knockout.” Apparently, Rousey is not a favorite to win the unconfirmed bout with Taylor. But where does Katie Taylor stand with the boxing round still in talks?

Katie Taylor wants to clash with Ronda Rousey in the ring

In a clash purely based on striking, Taylor has the outright upper hand. With a gold medal in Olympic boxing, Taylor has carved out a decorated career in pro boxing, flaunting a record of 25-1. Holding three decision victories against fellow boxing legend Amanda Serrano, Taylor sits with the undivided support of the crowd. However, the Irish star herself views this potential fight from a point of mutual respect and admiration.

“[Rousey’s] an iconic figure herself in female sport,” Taylor shared her stance on Rousey with BoxingScene. “She has an amazing mentality. You don’t get to the position she’s in without a fantastic mind, without a fantastic mentality.”

On the fight itself, Taylor added, “It’s just a very interesting fight. Seeing all the headlines this morning, I was thinking, ‘OK, I’m up and ready for this fight.’” But it’s not just enthusiasm to face one of MMA’s female legends. Taylor believes this to be an important stepping stone in women’s boxing’s future.

“It’s a fight that will interest and capture the imagination of the fans and that’s what boxing needs. I’d be very, very happy to fight Ronda. I’m very open to these kinds of fights where all generations can sit down and watch boxing.”

Katie Taylor clearly respects Rousey while confidently standing on her striking expertise, positioning the potential clash as one of the most intriguing matchups in women’s combat sports. What do you make of this surprise pairing? Share your thoughts!