Ronda Rousey Taking More Time Off, Won’t Fight at UFC 200

Former women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey wants time off from fighting and will not be competing on the July 9 UFC 200 fight card.

UFC president Dana White told Yahoo Sports on Tuesday that Rousey requested that her expected return date be pushed back due to her acting obligations. Rousey is starring in the remake of Road House and the start of filming was delayed.

“The filming of the movie got pushed back,” White said. “She could do both, but the question is, should she do both? She could do both, but why should she? The filming is in a time frame where she’d finish before UFC 200, but it would be cutting it too close.”

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Rousey fought three times in a nine-month span in 2015. She was knocked out by Holly Holm at UFC 193 on Nov. 15, and the original plan was to have the two rematch in July. Now, White’s not sure when Rousey will return to the Octagon.

“The way I look at this one is, Ronda has worked her ass off for us for the last three years,” White said. “She’s been fighting, promoting, and building the sport. If anyone deserves the time off, it’s her. The night [of UFC 193] Holly said she’d do the rematch and that Ronda deserved it and everything else. So we were holding it for her if she wanted to do it.

“What that woman has done is above and beyond what anyone has done. I mean, it’s just unbelievable what she’s done in the last three years. Anything we needed, she didn’t say no to anything; said no to nothing. She even took over responsibilities somebody else was supposed to have. So when she tells me she wants more time, you know what? She’s got it.”

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Holm puts her title on the line for the first time against longstanding contender Miesha Tate at UFC 197 on March 5.

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