Ronda Rousey has made a bold statement about a potential rematch with Holly Holm, suggesting that she would be able to knock out her former opponent if the fight were to happen. However, the 39-year-old fighter also reiterated that she is officially retired from mixed martial arts (MMA) and does not plan to return to the sport in the near future.
Earlier this year, in May, Rousey made a surprise return to the ring after a decade away from competition. She faced Gina Carano, another pioneer in the sport, and submitted her in just 17 seconds. This was an impressive performance, especially considering that it had been 17 years since Carano last stepped into the octagon.
The bout was the main event of the first MMA show organized by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions. Despite the excitement surrounding the match, Rousey confirmed that this would be her final fight, even though some fans have suggested that she should take on Holm again.
In 2015, Holm shocked the world by defeating Rousey via knockout to claim the UFC bantamweight title. That victory came just one year before Rousey retired following a loss to Amanda Nunes. Now, Rousey believes that a rematch with Holm would play out very differently.
“I said I’m retired, A,” Rousey said on the Up and Adams podcast, “and B, I think that I am a completely different fighter now. I would clean her clock.”
She also mentioned that she has started using a new medication, which she took after being diagnosed with cortical spreading depression. This condition had plagued her during previous fights, often causing vision issues and other complications. Rousey explained that this time, the medication helped her perform better.
“This is the first fight where I was able to take it, and when I spiked my head into the mat, that’s exactly the kind of thing that would have set me off before. I would have lost big chunks of my vision and it didn’t come back at all. It ended up working perfectly in a live situation [this time].”
Rousey’s performance against Carano, who is 44 years old, was a clear demonstration of her skill, as she submitted her with a signature armbar.
“I think I definitely have the ability and the opportunity to be able to f***ing clean her clock and rewrite all of that,” Rousey said of Holm, “but it’s no longer important to me anymore. It doesn’t haunt me. It’s not the most important thing in my life, and these people’s perceptions and knowing how great I am and all this stuff [isn’t either]. I know how good I am, and my kids need me in their life, and I want to be there for them.”
Earlier this week, Holm shared her thoughts on a potential second bout with Rousey. “I highly doubt she’ll ever want a rematch,” she told MMA Fighting. “I always have said, since the minute the last fight was over, I’ll always rematch her. That’s always been available, but she wanted to come back and have this win, and go back and enjoy and have a win like that.”
Holm added, “No hate from me, I hope she does well. I hope she does whatever she wants with her life. That’s her life. I’d always be open to fight her again.”
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