Ronda Rousey’s comeback plans are still drawing plenty of questions.
It’s been nearly a decade since her last fight, with back-to-back knockout losses ending her time in the Octagon.
Her reign as champion came to a stunning halt when Holly Holm knocked her out in 2015. The following year, Amanda Nunes handed Rousey another stoppage defeat, which turned out to be her final appearance in the UFC.
There has been some chatter about a return in 2025, though not where many fans expected it. Instead of an MMA comeback, she appears to be gearing up for a move into boxing.
A fight with Katie Taylor is reportedly being discussed for 2026, with Netflix apparently showing interest in broadcasting the event.
Eddie Alvarez worried about Ronda Rousey’s return for boxing match
Taylor is widely regarded as one of the best ever, having reigned as the undisputed world lightweight champion from 2019 to 2024, and held the unified world super lightweight championship since 2023.
Given Taylor’s reputation, many have questioned why Rousey would consider a fight with her. This is especially true considering how Rousey’s striking held up against elite opposition in her MMA career.
One person who was caught off guard by the matchup is former UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez. He learned about it during an appearance on Mike Bohn’s podcast and didn’t hold back his opinion.
“That’s a terrible idea for Ronda,” Alvarez said on The Bohnfire. “I mean, even when Ronda was in MMA, her hands were notoriously known for not being good.
“It might be a money grab or maybe she needs a couple of dollars, something like that. But I can’t imagine that Ronda actually thinks she’s going to beat Katie Taylor in a boxing match,” he added.
“I’ve seen crazy things in this sport, but to go over to someone else’s sport — that’s Katie Taylor’s sport, she’s the best in the world.”
Ronda Rousey admits concussion symptoms led to her retirement
Much of the concern around Rousey’s comeback centres on comments she’s made about her health over the years.
Before any rumours of a Taylor fight surfaced, Rousey had already spoken publicly about neurological issues stemming from her time in combat sports.
“Two of my triggers (are) bright lights and head impacts – so I’d get hit and I’d basically lose big chunks of my vision and my depth perception and my ability to track movements quickly and make snap decisions, which is basically all the things that I need,” Rousey said on the UNTAPPED podcast.
“And I thought I have concussion, I’m out on my feet, but I wouldn’t be stumbling around. I didn’t lose my balance. This was like, I had to retire because this kept happening to me more often to the point where I would get a jab and I would basically go blind,” she added.
Certainly in terms of precedent, it’s unlikely that Rousey will be denied a comeback if she chooses to pursue one. Boxing has seen plenty of older fighters cleared for comebacks despite safety concerns, with age rarely serving as a roadblock in recent years.
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