Although skeptical, UFC women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison salivates at the idea of welcoming Ronda Rousey back to fighting.
According to a report from Boxing Scene, a boxing match between Rousey and Katie Taylor is in the works for 2026 in Las Vegas. Former UFC bantamweight champion and Hall of Famer Rousey has not competed in combat sports since losing to Amanda Nunes by first-round TKO in December 2016.
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Harrison (19-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who makes her first title defense against the returning Amanda Nunes in the UFC 324 co-headliner on Jan. 24, finds it hard to believe that Rousey’s return would happen in the ring. But if the 38-year-old decides to give MMA another run, Harrison is certainly open for the opportunity.
“That would be some free money,” Harrison said of fighting Rousey on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “Who is she going to fight? She’s not going to fight Katie Taylor in boxing. If you said MMA, I’d say OK.”
Harrison and Rousey (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) have history. Both judoka Olympians – with Rousey winning bronze in 2008 and Harrison winning gold in 2012 and 2016 – competed against each other in two judo matches prior to the Olympics. Rousey won both, so an MMA fight would give Harrison the opportunity for some revenge.
“Sometimes I can’t even write (it), it’s too poetic,” Harrison said. “When people talk about us fighting, all the Ronda simps are like, ‘She already beat her twice in judo.’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, well, I was 13 (14-15) and I was being molested.’ (She was) 18 or 19. It’s fair. We were in the same weight class. She beat me. I’m woman enough to admit when I get beat. She beat me.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Kayla Harrison: Ronda Rousey fight ‘would be some free money’
