While Ronda Rousey has been busy in 2016 booking plans for everything except for fighting – including another SI Swimsuit Edition appearance, an upcoming hosting gig on Saturday Night Live, and a new comedy project with Tina Fey off of a phrase she made famous – she’s still got her mind on a future rematch with Holly Holm, and she said this week it’s going to happen in 2016.
TMZ Sports asked her about her MMA future while catching her in Boston to watch boyfriend Travis Browne at UFC Fight Night 81, and Rousey made clear she’s waiting to go through her options with the UFC on setting that up.
“It’s sometime later in the year,” Rousey said when the subject of UFC 200 was mentioned. “They haven’t told me an exact date or location. It’s a decision we’re all going to make together. I’m kind of waiting to hear from them on what options they’re going to give me.”
Rousey was knocked out by Holm last November, losing for the first time in her MMA career. Holm will defend that title on March 5 against Rousey’s old foe Miesha Tate at UFC 197.
Penick’s Analysis: For Rousey herself, it’s for the best that she’s not trying to make UFC 200 happen with how much else is on her plate this spring. She’s going to need time dedicated solely to getting better and being ready for Holm, and she wouldn’t have enough of that available to her before July. Now, just how much further down the line will the return be? That’s going to be the question they’ll need to answer, because if it’s another nine to ten months and she doesn’t want to return until the end of 2016, Holm may yet look to defend the title a second time before Rousey’s return. Regardless, my best guess is we’ll see her back in the fall after dedicating the summer to being ready for that fight.
[Photo (c) Jason da Silva via USA Today Sports]
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