Ronda Rousey has denied rumours she is planning to retire from MMA and insisted she will fight Holly Holm again in 2016.
The former UFC women's bantamweight champion lost her title and her unbeaten record to Holm back in November when she was knocked out in the second round after a brutal head kick.
Per TMZ Sports, rumours have circulated recently that she may call time on her UFC career to focus on acting, but the 28-year-old has denied such talk, revealing she is planning to return "some time later in the year" against Holm:
"[The UFC] haven't told me an exact date or location. ... It's a decision we're all going to make together, but I'm kind of waiting to hear from them what options they're going to give me," said Rousey.
"Of course [there'll be a rematch with Holm]."
Rousey's return to the Octagon was previously mooted for UFC 200 in Las Vegas in July, but she has now asked for more time off because of filming commitments, per Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports.
It is clearly not the end of the road, though, for Rousey in the UFC.
Her defeat to Holm at UFC 193 was vicious and unexpected, per BT Sport UFC:
"Unbelievable!" @_HOLLYHOLM drops @RondaRousey out cold to win the women's bantamweight title. #UFC193 https://t.co/MDPbMooJQJ
— BT Sport UFC (@btsportufc) November 15, 2015
In Rousey's previous 12 fights, she had outclassed all that opposed her and was the heavy favourite heading into her clash with Holm.
However, Holm shocked the MMA world with her victory, and she is now preparing to defend her title for the first time at UFC 197 against Miesha Tate.
If the 34-year-old is upset in March and loses her belt, the interest will surely still be there for a rematch between her and Rousey considering the stunning nature of her first victory.
UFC president Dana White recently confirmed Rousey will remain the highest-paid UFC athlete upon her return, proving her huge appeal is still very much intact despite losing her title, per Sports Illustrated’s SI Now programme.
While her return will not happen at UFC 200, Rousey's insistence that she will return to face Holm in 2016 is exciting news for MMA fans and something of a relief.
Her aura of invincibility has disappeared after her defeat to Holm, but she remains one of the most exciting figures in the sport, and a rerun of UFC 193's clash is a mouthwatering prospect.
