After a nine-year absence, on May 16, Ronda Rousey returned to MMA and secured a first-round knockout over Gina Carano. Can she translate that same success to the wrestling ring? It looks like Rowdy might get a head start as reigning UFC strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern has expressed interest in a matchup with her.

“Ronda Rousey is a lot bigger, but it would have been amazing to do like an exhibition match with her,” Dern told US Weekly at the UFC 331 on Paramount+ red carpet at Crypto. com Arena last weekend.

Her comments came after she spoke about future plans, which included a move to entertainment wrestling. She sounded particularly excited about a matchup against the Bella sisters – Nikki and Brie – once she retired from MMA.

The apprehension surrounding a matchup with Rousey likely stems from the sheer weight difference between the two. In the UFC, Dern competes at 115 pounds. Rousey, meanwhile, competes at a much higher weight class. Her fight against Carano took place at 145 pounds (featherweight).

Beyond their shared history of fighting in the UFC, there are a couple of reasons why Dern picked Rousey’s name. First and perhaps foremost, despite her age, Rousey commands respect as one of the greatest fighters in UFC history. She remains a pioneer figure who popularized MMA for a generation of female fighters.

Secondly, and likely the more relevant reason, could be that on March 15, Rousey made an appearance at All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Three years ago, she concluded her second run in the WWE at SummerSlam 2023 by announcing her retirement from wrestling.

Later that year, she teamed with friend Marina Shafir in two wrestling matches as part of Los Angeles-based independent circuits. Rousey subsequently appeared with Shafir to participate in Ring of Honor (ROH) as well.

Following those appearances, Rousey indicated that she had no plans for a permanent wrestling return. However, she seemed open to making occasional appearances.

It took another three years before Rousey made a comeback to the wrestling ring. At the AEW Revolution PPV, she confronted 4-time champion “Timeless” Toni Strom, who had defeated her friend Marina Shafir.

Dern’s mention of Rousey therefore sounded more like a dream exhibition match rather than a hostile call-out.

Dern is also not the first fighter to express interest in a matchup against Rousey.

Who wants a fight with Ronda Rousey?

Last year, reports indicated that talks were underway for a matchup between Rousey and boxing’s Katie Taylor. The two were expected to headline a Netflix event that was supposed to take place in Las Vegas in 2026.

Taylor, who finally retired after a memorable win over Flora Pili in front of over eighty thousand fans early this month, reportedly told Boxing Scene that she was excited about the prospect of facing Rousey, whom she considered an “iconic figure in female sport.”

“She has an amazing mentality. You don’t get to the position she’s in without a fantastic mind, without a fantastic mentality,” Taylor said.

“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.’ 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. I’m very, very open… to fighting Ronda Rousey. Absolutely open to it, for sure.”

The fight never took off because it was, as it later emerged, allegedly a hoax planted by Taylor’s management team.

Even considering that it was simply a rumor, it established the fact that Rousey still remains a name to reckon with. She is an icon that even the new generation of fighters and champions want to test themselves against.

Besides Dern, within the UFC, Rousey received an unofficial call-out from someone she knew pretty well. Last year, former bantamweight champion Miesha Tate, whose rivalry with Rousey resulted in fiery fights in 2012 and 2013, expressed interest in a trilogy.

But that looks distant now, as Rousey’s return to the UFC appears unlikely. Given those circumstances, a matchup can only happen outside the UFC, as Dern suggested.

For now, the strawweight champion is focused on defending her championship. While the idea about WWE looks appealing, it will likely take some time. By then, whether Rousey will be active or fully retired is something that remains to be seen.