Nunes best option for Rousey’s return

One of the biggest questions in UFC throughout 2016 has been if and when Ronda Rousey will return. Honestly, “if” was never in doubt. Yes, Rousey appeared genuinely shaken by her loss to Holly Holm and has even admitted to having had suicidal thoughts. But very few actually believed she’d be able to walk away from the sport. When, however, was an open question.

Many believed that she might come out of her pseudo-retirement to take on Cris Cyborg, despite complications regarding their matching up in a weight class. Cyborg has repeatedly called for the former champion, suggesting not only that she wants the fight but that the fans want and deserve it. To her credit, she’s also avoided standard trash talk, telling Rousey she ought to show her fans that a loss isn’t the end of the world, rather than belittling her or going after her pride. And she certainly has a point: fans of MMA are dying to see these two fight at one point or another.

But if recent rumours are to be believed, Cyborg won’t be getting her wish just yet. While there’s no confirmation yet, Dana White has been hinting that Rousey will fight before the end of 2016, and there are now strong indications that she’ll be taking on Amanda Nunes, possibly at UFC 207 in Las Vegas on 30 December. As the report states, this would mean Rousey would be “cutting in line,” in a way, leapfrogging some other competitors to take a direct shot at the women’s bantamweight title that’s currently held by Nunes. But is this the right fight for Rousey’s comeback?

The good news from a lot of fans’ perspective is that the UFC appears to be ready to move on from the sham rivalry between Rousey and Miesha Tate. When Tate first fought Rousey back in 2013, she was a major underdog. Although she’s put up a good fight for a few moments here and there in their bouts, it’s pretty clear that Rousey has her figured out. Tate is an engaging personality and was champion before losing to Nunes, but most will probably be relieved that she’s not the title holder Rousey has to fight. No disrespect to Tate, but it would have felt a little bit underwhelming.

The other obvious option is Holly Holm. It goes without saying that fans want to see Rousey take on the only woman who’s ever beaten her, and it stands to reason that this fight will eventually happen. However, Holm has frankly had no success since dethroning Rousey. She lost her bantamweight title almost immediately to Tate, and followed that up with another disappointing loss, by unanimous decision, to Valentina Shevchenko. At this point, it just isn’t feasible for Holm to be granted a Rousey rematch until she reasserts herself a little bit.

For these reasons, Nunes feels like exactly the right fight. There might not be as much of a personal connection as there might be between Rousey and Tate, Rousey and Cyborg, or Rousey and Holm. But at the same time, a personal connection has to start somewhere in fighting sports. A title fight marking a former champion’s comeback is an incredibly dramatic concept, and one that could spark a brand-new rivalry. And let’s be honest: most fans are perfectly ok with Rousey “cutting in line” and taking on the champ as soon as she’s back.