5 fighters Ronda Rousey should face before retiring

One of the greatest UFC champions of all time, Ronda Rousey, recently revealed that her time as a professional mixed martial artist is winding down and that she’s only got a few fights in her before she calls it a career. Rousey has been incredibly dominant during her time in the UFC and defended her belt six times as champion, so if anyone deserves to leave on their terms, it’s her. Let’s take a look at five potential opponents Rousey should choose from for her final fights in the Octagon.

Amanda Nunes

Amanda Nunes is getting her shot against Rousey in December, but the well-round Brazilian fighter has been a threat to the former champion since 2015. The argument could be make that Nunes should have fought Rousey at UFC 190 but the UFC decided to go with Bethe Correia instead, who “Rowdy” quickly dismantled. Nunes, winner of six of her seven UFC fights, is champion now so she doesn’t have to clamor for the Rousey fight anymore, but she’s deserved it for over a year.

                                     Cris Cyborg

The only other woman with the credentials to match Rousey is Invicta FC featherweight champion Cris “Cyborg” Justino. “Cyborg” has won 15 of her 18 fights by knockout, including back-to-back TKOs under the UFC banner. UFC president Dana White said that if Rousey beats Amanda Nunes in December, the fight with “Cyborg” is “definitely” going to happen. Given that the UFC obviously wants the fight to happen, an Cyborg has been talking about it non-stop, the only question remains is if Rousey *really* wants the fight herself.

                          Holly Holm

Holly Holm wasn’t able to hold on to the UFC belt in Rousey’s absence but that doesn’t make the rematch any less intriguing to Rousey. “Rowdy” has maintained since the beginning of her hiatus that she wants nothing more than to get her revenge against Holm, who defeated her via devastating knockout late last year. Rousey appears to have fully recovered from the loss and has her eyes on the rematch, likely after her fight against Nunes.  

                    Miesha Tate

The MMA community is split on a third fight between Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate. Rousey has submitted Tate twice, once in Strikeforce and once in the UFC, but the latter was the first time Rousey has seen past the first round in her MMA career. With the exception of the Holm loss, Tate pushed Rousey further than anyone else has in the UFC and considering she’s lost just one time in six fights since 2013, I think Tate should be on Rousey’s shortlist of potential opponents.

                  Julianna Pena

Julianna Pena doesn’t necessarily deserve to fight Ronda Rousey, but for all the trash she’s been talking about Rousey, the former champ might want to give her the hands. Rousey was the opposing coach on season 18 of “The Ultimate Fighter” and severely underestimated Pena by matching her up with Shayna Bazsler in the opening fight of the show. Pena would go on to win that fight, as well as the rest of the fights on the show and has fought her way all the way to the bantamweight top 5. Rousey might be gone by the time Pena earns a title shot but she might fit her in for the “fat arms” comment alone.