Ronda Rousey Returns at UFC 207 to Challenge Amanda Nunes | MMAWeekly.com

After nearly a year outside of the Octagon, Ronda Rousey finally has a date set for her UFC return.

As expected, Rousey will get a crack at getting the UFC bantamweight championship back when she challenges current titleholder Amanda Nunes. The two headline UFC 207, a special Friday event, on Dec. 30 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

UFC president Dana White announced Rousey’s return on Wednesday’s edition of The Herd with Colin Cowherd on Fox Sports 1.

“The thing that everybody has been waiting for for a good year, Ronda Rousey is back,” said White. “Ronda Rousey is gonna be back. She will fight Dec. 30 for the title, in Vegas, against Amanda Nunes for the title.”

Rousey (12-1) lost the first bout of her mixed martial arts career at UFC 193 in November of 2015. Holly Holm knocked her out in the first minute of the second round, taking the belt which no other UFC fighter had held to that point.

Holm’s reign was short-lived, as she lost the belt to Miesha Tate in her first title defense. Not wanting to wait for Rousey’s return for a rematch, Holm put up the belt in March. Tate was on the back foot much of the fight, but pulled out a rear-naked choke with less the two minutes left in the five-round fight.

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Like Holm, however, Tate didn’t last as champion. She faced Nunes at UFC 200 in July. Nunes stormed Tate, rocking her with punches before finishing her with a rear-naked choke little more than three minutes into the fight.

Since winning the belt, Nunes (13-4) had been accused of running from fights by contenders Julianna Peña and Valentina Shevchenko. She didn’t want either, however, Nunes wanted Rousey, opting to wait. Her patience paid off and she got the fight she wanted, as Nunes vs. Rousey now headlines UFC 207.

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