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Rousey battles sexism in MMA by using Jones.
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Ronda Rousey is pushing back hard against criticism surrounding her MMA comeback, and she is making one thing clear: she believes the scrutiny is rooted in a double standard. As she prepares to return after nearly a decade away, Rousey has pointed to Jon Jones as a prime example of how male fighters are not questioned the same way.
The former UFC champion, who last fought in 2016, is set to face Gina Carano on May 16 in a high-profile bout streaming on Netflix. The matchup between two pioneers of women’s MMA has generated buzz, but it has also sparked debate about whether both fighters, given their long layoffs, should be stepping back into the cage.
According to CBS Mornings, Rousey directly addressed those concerns and did not hold back when explaining why she finds them unfair. Her argument centers on the way age and time away from the sport are discussed when it comes to her versus male counterparts. Rousey also recently took shots at UFC’s pay structure.
Rousey Uses Jones As An Example
“I never hear Jon Jones’ age being brought up as a disqualifying factor,” Rousey said. “It’s not like my ovaries are fighting. You know what I mean? Why are we even talking about this?”
Rousey’s frustration stems from the narrative surrounding her comeback rather than the fight itself. Critics have questioned whether a fighter who has not competed in nearly 10 years can still perform at a high level, especially against an opponent like Carano, who is also returning after a 17-year absence. The former bantamweight champion sees those concerns as selectively applied. In her view, male fighters are rarely subjected to the same type of scrutiny, even when dealing with layoffs, age, or career wear and tear.
Beyond addressing critics, Rousey has been candid about why she is returning now. Her last appearance ended in a 48-second knockout loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207, a defeat that followed another high-profile loss and marked a difficult exit from the sport.
Despite stepping away, she never officially announced her retirement. That lingering ambiguity has stayed with her, shaping her decision to come back for what appears to be a one-off fight. “There was kind of like a cascade of things that led to it, but largely I wanted to rewrite my own ending in MMA,” Rousey said. “It was just unfinished.”
Her time away from the cage has been anything but quiet. Rousey became a major star in WWE, headlining events and expanding her global profile, while also taking on roles in Hollywood films. Even so, the pull of MMA never fully disappeared. She even recently took a shot at WWE and TKO and made it personal.
She admitted that part of the motivation to return came from needing distance before rediscovering her passion. The long break allowed her to step back from the pressures that once defined her career.
Rousey has made it clear that this comeback is not about reclaiming titles or building a second chapter filled with multiple fights. The focus is far more personal, centered on leaving the sport on her own terms. “I think I want to be able to change all my prior negative associations that I had in MMA,” she said. “I think everything just kind of got convoluted.”
That mindset suggests a different version of Rousey than the one fans last saw. During her dominant run, she defended her title six times and often finished opponents in under a minute, becoming one of the UFC’s biggest stars in the process.
The pressure that came with that success eventually overshadowed her love for the sport. Now, she is aiming to rediscover that joy and close the chapter in a way that feels right to her. “I’d lost sight of what I’d really loved about martial arts,” Rousey added. “Getting back to it and making joy in the process the priority has been the best decision I’ve ever made.”