Ronda Rousey‘s return to combat sports should have sparked nostalgia. Instead, it came as an unexpected plot twist. A potential boxing bout versus Katie Taylor, one of the best pure boxers alive, sent shockwaves through both sports, not because fans were excited, but because the matchup felt almost absurd. ‘Rowdy’ hasn’t fought in almost a decade. Taylor is fresh off a historic trilogy win.

Nonetheless, plans are underway for a 2026 Las Vegas showdown backed by Netflix. And in the midst of the newfound hype, someone who knows Ronda Rousey better than most chimed in. Cris Cyborg didn’t just roll her eyes at the rumor; she torched it. The rivalry between them never found closure inside a cage, but outside of it? The heat never cooled. With a single tweet, Cyborg reminded everyone why.

Cris Cyborg tears down the Ronda Rousey–Katie Taylor idea

So, when journalist Lance Pugmire tweeted the bout was “in the works,” Cyborg didn’t wait. She attacked the idea in her own style: “I once saw Ronda shadowboxing, and her shadow won! Zero chance she fights boxing,” she wrote in a tweet. No pause, no politeness, no benefit of the doubt. In her opinion, Ronda Rousey has no place in a boxing ring—unless her opponent is Gina Carano in a nostalgia bout.

Against Katie Taylor? “Zero chance,” she wrote, doubling down. The truth is that Cris Cyborg isn’t just being petty. ‘Rowdy’ has not fired a competitive punch since 2016. Taylor, on the other hand, has headlined at Madison Square Garden, ruled two divisions, carried women’s boxing on her back, and attracted Netflix-level viewership.

Rousey’s admission of severe brain trauma in her autobiography, along with two recent pregnancies, makes the idea of her competing against one of the sport’s finest technicians seem overly optimistic. Nonetheless, the rumors persist, fueled by the spectacle energy that only Ronda Rousey can generate. That’s what makes Cyborg’s jab so effective—it cuts through the fantasy.

Still, the rivalry between them never died for a reason. ‘Rowdy’ was once an unstoppable force. Cyborg was the immovable object the UFC never booked. And now, with talk swirling and speculation rising, Cyborg appears determined to remind fans that if Rousey returns, a boxing ring is the last place she should be. And it’s not like she is out of options either, as Kayla Harrison‘s manager recently called out Ronda Rousey for an epic dream fight once ‘Doug’ is done with Amanda Nunes.

Kayla Harrison’s manager wants her to fight Rousey

And that’s where Kayla Harrison comes in—not as another critic, but as the only name that makes sense if Ronda Rousey decides to fight again. Because, while Cris Cyborg is closing the boxing door, Harrison’s group is attempting to open a whole different one. Ali Abdelaziz did not mince words when he laid out her strategy: Amanda Nunes first, and if Kayla “dominates,” Ronda Rousey will be next.

He said, “Kayla beats [Amanda] by dominating fashion and stops her, and after that, Kayla will have two options. Ronda Rousey will come out of the grave and step up and she will have to pay for everything she’s said and done, cause a lot of beef happened.” It was not said for shock value. Harrison and Rousey go way back—judo teammates, friends turned rivals, the kind of history you can’t manufacture.

According to Abdelaziz, if ‘Doug’ defeats Nunes at UFC 324, she will face either Valentina Shevchenko in a superfight or Ronda Rousey in a final showdown. It’s unclear whether ‘Rowdy’ really entertains the idea, but this is the first fight in years that connects her past, pride, and legacy.

While the Katie Taylor talks dominate headlines, the MMA world is whispering a different storyline—one based on old connections, old tension, and unfinished business. If Ronda Rousey ever decides to fight again, Kayla Harrison’s team believes it will not be for boxing glory. It will be for closure.