LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 05: Ronda Rousey receives her hall of fame trophy after being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame during the UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2018 Induction Ceremony inside The Pearl concert theater at Palms Casino Resort on July 5, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
UFC Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey has not set foot inside the Octagon since December 2016, when she lost her bid to become a two-time UFC champ, falling to Amanda Nunes by knockout at UFC 207. Now, with talk that Rousey could return to the UFC for the 2026 UFC fight card at the White House, the former champ has made it known that she will not be participating in that event in Washington D.C.
“I am not fighting at the White House,” Rousey said on The Lapsed Fan Podcast. “I mean, after Mike Tyson being the biggest fight of the year [vs. Jake Paul], you never say never [on a return].
“But I ain’t fighting on the (expletive) White House.”
When asked what she would say if UFC CEO Dana White, with who Rousey has always had a good relationship, asked her to fight on the card, Rousey said, “I got better (expletive) to do. My kid needs pasta.”
Rousey joined the UFC in 2012 after winning and defending the Strikeforce bantamweight title. With the UFC buying that promotion, the UFC made Rousey the inaugural UFC women’s champ.
Rousey defended the title for the first time at UFC 157 in February 2013 with a submission win over Liz Carmouche.
Rousey would go on to defend her crown six times before losing to Holly Holm at UFC 193. Rousey was an enormous betting favorite to defeat Holm in that matchup. Her attempt to dethrone Nunes was her final UFC fight.
The ex-champ became the first woman inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2018.
“I am not the first person who had the ability to do this, but I am here because I am the first person you took the time to watch,” Rousey said during her induction speech. “That you put the energy into supporting. Because of you, I am the first woman standing up here accepting this incredible honor. May I be the first of many.”
“In my almost 18 years as UFC president, I’ve learned many valuable lessons,” White said in presenting Rousey her award. “And the one that comes to mind tonight is never say never, especially when you’re talking to UFC. In my defense, when I famously said women would never fight in the UFC, I had never met Ronda Rousey. I had never met the woman who would change everything. She started by changing my mind, and she ended up changing the world.”
White said in late August that the talked about UFC White House card was a done deal.
“It was a great day. I’m about to take off here from Washington, D.C.,” White said in a video he posted on social media. “The White House fight is on. I will have more details on that in the next couple weeks. We got it done today.”