Ronda Rousey, the former women’s bantamweight champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), recently had an enticing offer extended to her by the organization to make a comeback to the Octagon. However, the fighter turned actress, entrepreneur, and farmer, decided to pass on this potentially lucrative opportunity.
Brendan Schaub, Rousey’s ex-boyfriend and a former UFC heavyweight turned full-time podcaster, shared this intriguing tidbit. While Schaub is known for discussing a wide range of topics, even those outside his immediate knowledge, he claimed to have information from a reliable source regarding the UFC’s efforts to lure Rousey back into the fighting world.
Reports of a potential reunion between Rousey and the UFC had begun circulating last month, with speculations pointing towards a potential return at UFC 300 in 2024. UFC President Dana White later debunked these rumors, although he’s known for keeping such matters under wraps. Interestingly, oddsmakers have already set betting lines for a hypothetical Rousey vs. Julianna Pena title bout.
Despite White’s assertions that no offers have been made to Rousey, Schaub insists that the UFC presented an offer that was, in his words, “more money than you can imagine” to entice “Rowdy” back into the fighting arena. Rousey, however, made the unexpected decision to decline the offer.
“It’s like the guy that can’t get the hot girl like, ‘Dude, she’s ugly.’ That’s Dana’s like, ‘No dude, we never offered, she’s not fighting,'” Schaub commented. “Maybe Dana didn’t do the deal, I’m not saying Dana offered it. From what I know, they offered her more money than God, and she was like, ‘I’m good.’ Ronda’s very smart, has other businesses, her farms, her houses. She doesn’t need to do any of it. She said no.”
Ronda Rousey last graced the Octagon at UFC 207 in 2016 when she suffered a 48-second knockout loss to then UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes. That fight took place almost seven years ago, raising questions about how competitive Rousey would be if she were to return to professional MMA in 2024 or beyond. Nevertheless, the allure of “God-like” money offers a compelling incentive for fans to speculate on the possibility of her comeback.
