Right now, it is anyone's guess on when Ronda Rousey will be making her return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and face reigning women's bantamweight champion Holly Holm.
It was initially believed that Rousey could be returning to the Octagon this July, although many felt the former champion was not yet physically and mentally prepared to face the Australian fighter.
Rousey saved everyone the trouble by coming forward and asking UFC President Dana White for more time off but because of filming schedule conflicts. But the good news is that Rousey says that she intends to return to the UFC this year and get her rematch against Holm.
A lot will hinge on her Hollywood schedule. Apparently, she will need at least four months to prepare if a fight with Holm is to be made in 2016, according to her trainer, Edmond Tarverdyan.
Tarverdyan admits helping out Rousey to stay in shape but more on to aid her in the fighting scenes she will be in and not at the professional fighting level.
He adds that Rousey did fight three times last year and is due for some rest. But the big question now is on whether or not she will really fight in 2016.
Taking her word is one thing but realistically speaking, will she have time to train at all before 2016 ends? Even though no date has been set, a safe assumption is that Rousey should be in serious training by August at the latest if a fight is to be made by December — the last month of the year.
If nothing happens by August, it would be safe to assume one of two things. One is that she would fight but not follow the four-month preparation that Tarverdyan is talking about. The other is that she would forego her return for 2017.
Again, a lot of this depends on her filming schedule. A good hint of things to come may very well be revealed when UFC 200 takes place in July, the event in which she was originally scheduled for a rematch against Holm.
