Movie Delay Pushes Ronda Rousey’s UFC Return Back Even Further

Mixed martial arts (MMA) fans waiting for former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey’s return will unfortunately have to wait even longer.

After the previously dominant champ was knocked by Holly Holm at UFC 193, the general consensus was that “Rowdy” would return at the UFC’s July blockbuster UFC 200 to rematch Holm in an attempt to get her belt back. But when her featured role in the upcoming remake of “Road House” got in the way, Rousey’s comeback was delayed until late this year, and not many argued with that given the destructive nature of her loss.

That return has been pushed back even further, however, as Rousey revealed on a recent appearance on “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon (via FOX Sports) that “Road House’s” filming has been delayed further, which in turn will delay her availability to fight. Rousey said that the film will “hopefully” now start filming this May, adding that she made a commitment to the project and will follow through on her word:

“Hopefully we’ll start around May. We’ll see. I promised that I would film “Road House” after the last fight,” Rousey said. “I made a promise and that’s it. My word means something so I’m going to go film “Road House” first.”

It’s clear that Rousey’s film career is burgeoning, with this role and the opcoming “Mile 22” with Mark Wahlberg in addition to her coined catchphrase “Do Nothing B*****s” with Tina Fey on the docket this year. Dana White has said that Rousey will most likely return around November, but if “Road House” doesn’t start filming until May or beyond, that would leave hardly enough of a timeframe to prepare for the toughest challenge of her career against the ultra-dangerous champ Holm.

Still, with Rousey declaring that she considered suicide in the aftermath of her knockout loss to “The Preacher’s Daughter,” perhaps some more time off is what’s best for Rousey, who is obviously still MMA’s biggest star.

However, her recent emotional statement coupled with her return being pushed back further and further is certainly cause for wonder and speculation to her ability to win back the belt, if she returns to fighting at all. Rousey assured fans that she would, however:

“Of course (there will be a rematch).”