Ronda Rousey tipped to garner fan attention amid UFC return rumors: ‘People would be excited at the possibility’
UFC play-by-play lead, Jon Anik has claimed he can understand the certain fervour from fans regarding a potential return to the Octagon for inaugural bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey in the near future – after he claimed if any returning titleholder deserved an immediate title challenge, it was likely her.
Rousey, who boasts 12-2 professional mixed martial arts record, has been sidelined since headlining UFC 207 in December 2016, suffering a first round TKO loss to former duel-weight champion, Amanda Nunes in a blistering 48-second knockout defeat.
Prior to that, Riverside native, Ronda Rousey had suffered her first professional loss at UFC 193 the year before, dropping her undisputed bantamweight crown in a crushing second round high-kick KO loss to former gold holder, Holly Holm.
Ronda Rousey has been sidelined from MMA since her return back in 2016
Turning her attention and talents to professional wrestling in the time since her loss to Brazilian favorite, Nunes, Rousey has, however, been linked with a potential return to the Octagon since the former’s retirement earlier this month, amid talk of a vacant bantamweight title fight featuring another former champion; Julianna Peña.
And in the wake of such rumors, staple UFC commentator, Anik has claimed that while Rousey’s immediate title challenge upon return would likely ruffle some feathers, fans are sure to be excited.
“If anyone is worthy of that type of opportunity, it’s probably Ronda Rousey,” Anik said during an interview with MMA Fighting. “And I do believe she would be competitive because she would not enter that setting without the guarantee that she would be competitive. If ever there was a time, it would be absolutely now.”
“I’m not going to suggest she’d be a betting favorite against Julianna Peña or Raquel Pennington, but I can understand why people would be excited at the possibility,” Anik explained.
Furthermore, Rousey has also been urged to consider the possibility of a return to the UFC – in tow with a move to the featherweight division for the first occasion, in a bid to “save” the seemingly doomed weight class.
