Ronda Rousey, who submitted Gina Carano via armbar in just 17 seconds at MVP MMA's inaugural event in May, has walked back her immediate post-fight retirement announcement and indicated she is open to competing again. The 39-year-old said she and her team need to "reconvene" to assess what the future holds, and expressed a desire to be involved in MVP MMA 2 even if she is not fighting on that card. Rousey has also publicly called out Holly Holm for a potential rematch of their 2015 title fight.
Ronda Rousey appears ready to keep fighting after all. Just weeks after submitting Gina Carano via armbar in only 17 seconds at MVP MMA's inaugural event in May, the 39-year-old walked back the retirement announcement she made in the immediate aftermath of the bout and indicated she is open to competing again. Rousey said she and her team need to "reconvene" to assess what the future holds, and she has already set her sights on a specific target — publicly calling out Holly Holm for a rematch of their 2015 title fight.
Rousey, who carries a 12-2 record, has long been one of the most dominant finishers in women's MMA history. The five-foot-seven Orthodox fighter out of Team Hayastan averages an extraordinary 6.26 takedowns per 15 minutes and attempts submissions at a rate of 4.8 per 15 minutes, numbers that reflect the relentless grappling pressure she brings to every fight. Her striking accuracy sits at 52 percent, and she lands 4.17 significant strikes per minute.
The bout against Carano, who carried a 7-1 record into the fight, lasted less than half a minute. Carano, also five-foot-eight and 44 years old, trains out of Xtreme Couture and had shown respectable output numbers throughout her career, averaging 4.5 significant strikes per minute at 47 percent accuracy. The finish underscored just how quickly Rousey can end a fight when the opportunity presents itself.
Holm, also 44 and based out of Jackson-Wink MMA in the United States, holds a 15-7 record and fights as a southpaw standing five-foot-eight with a 69-inch reach. The former champion lands 3.13 significant strikes per minute and built her career on precision kickboxing rather than grappling.
Why it matters
- Rousey's reversal keeps one of the sport's most recognizable names active after what appeared to be a farewell moment
- A Rousey-Holm rematch would revisit one of the most significant bouts in women's MMA history
- Rousey also expressed interest in remaining involved with MVP MMA 2 even if she does not compete on that card, signaling a broader relationship with the promotion
