The mystery surrounding Ronda Rousey’s return has finally come to light, and it involves Conor McGregor. The former UFC champion has kept the MMA world buzzing for months, ever since she hinted on social media that she might step back into the fight game. Fans got a glimpse of her renewed passion for combat sports when viral clips emerged showing Rousey sparring years after retiring due to concussion issues.

Her September sparring clip completely surprised fans. The mother of two now looks ready to return to fighting, but not in the Octagon. Instead, following in the footsteps of Anderson Silva and Ben Askren, Rousey appears to be targeting a major payday in boxing, potentially against a fighter backed by Conor McGregor.

Ronda Rousey targets big payday against Conor McGregor’s compatriot

Boxing journalist Lance Pugmire revealed on X that women’s MMA star Ronda Rousey is returning to the boxing scene. “Katie Taylor ⁦@KatieTaylor⁩ vs. Ronda Rousey ⁦@RondaRousey⁩ in the works for Las Vegas showdown in 2026,” Pugmire wrote on X, sending shockwaves throughout the MMA community.

Rousey has not competed in MMA since 2016, following knockout losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, which she later attributed to concussions she suffered since childhood that worsened over time. Now, she is targeting someone like Katie Taylor, who has been active in the ring and recently defeated Amanda Serrano this past summer to claim the undisputed female super lightweight title.

Naturally, the news has also raised concerns, as highlighted by Mike Bohn. “Crazy proposition. My biggest question about a Rousey combat return in any form: How does any commission in good faith license her to compete after the book tour where she opened up about her concussion history?” via X.

Damon Martin joined Bohn in calling Rousey’s return the “worst idea” for the same reasons. Meanwhile, her upcoming opponent poses a serious challenge in the ring. Conor McGregor has already praised once Katie Taylor as a “superwoman,” and though they’ve never been teammates, the two share a supportive relationship.

The combat sports world is now buzzing with anticipation over the rumored Ronda Rousey vs. Katie Taylor fight. However, doubts remain, especially after Rousey made a shocking claim about concussions earlier this year.

“I would get a jab and go blind,” Rousey admits in shocking concussion claim

Ronda Rousey once struck fear in the octagon, putting her opponents to sleep. Over time, however, the tables turned, and by the end of her MMA career, opponents landed hard hits on her. The judo-trained fighter did not realize that these hits were actually worsening a long-standing condition.

From the age of six, Rousey dealt with concussions—first from swimming in a pool and later through judo, where she claimed to get a “concussion regularly.” She stayed silent about it while chasing Olympic glory, but in MMA, the fights exposed her to even more punches. Despite this, Rousey avoided discussing concussions, since she didn’t want to use them as excuses for her losses.

After retiring, she finally revealed the severity of her condition in her memoir: “I had to retire because this kept happening to me more and more often, to the point where I would get a jab and basically go blind.” Ronda Rousey revealed details about her concussion.

Even later, during her WWE career, where she rose to fame and achieved financial success, the biggest question remained: how could Ronda Rousey step into the boxing ring against the deadly Katie Taylor without taking jabs or hits to the face? Share your thoughts below.