Dana White on Ronda Rousey’s Status for UFC 300

Will Ronda Rousey return to fight at UFC 300?

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BOSTON, MA – Ronda Rousey will forever be a pioneer for women’s sports.

Rousey’s unforgettable run in the UFC, where she won her first six fights in dominant fashion, brought an entirely new spotlight to MMA.

With UFC 300 set to take place next spring, and Rousey, 36, having just finished up her current responsibilities in WWE, the rumor and speculation has intensified that she will return to the Octagon for one more fight.

Per UFC president Dana White, that will not be the case.

“There’s no shot,” says White. “She’s accomplished everything she set out to do.”

Rousey has not competed in the UFC since December of 2016 when she lost to Amanda Nunes. Although there would be no shortage of opponents lining up to meet her at UFC 300, White confirmed she is content with the legacy she created.

“Her dream was to win a UFC championship, then win a WWE championship, and she’s done it,” says White. “Now she’s starting a family. Ronda has made so much money, and she’s still making a lot of money in sponsorships.”

White spoke one-on-one following UFC 292 in Boston at the TD Garden, which ended in a spectacular finish with Sean O’Malley shocking bantamweight champ Aljamain Sterling with a TKO victory.

“It’s what makes the sport so exciting,” says White. “It’s the unexpected sh-- you don’t see coming that makes the sport so fun.”

THE FULL @SUGASEANMMA KNOCKOUT!

A right hand that will live on in UFC history at #UFC292! pic.twitter.com/jM5MkPTxqK

— UFC (@ufc) August 20, 2023

As the numbers from UFC 292 continue to pour in–including a sellout of 18,293 and a gate that produced $7.25 million–White was ecstatic with what his promotion produced in Boston.

“It’s the biggest f------ gate in Boston Garden history outside of the NBA Finals from two years ago,” says White. “It did huge numbers on pay-per-view, and on social media, too.”

O’Malley was, by far, the fan favorite of the card. His title victory makes him the second champion from the Contender Series, which is currently airing its newest season on Tuesday nights on ESPN+.

“The show is the best show on television,” says White. “I say it every week. It’s the best fighters in the world not signed by the UFC, and they’ve got one shot to show us who they are. And the best always rise to the top.”

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Takeaways from UFC 292 in Boston

To no one’s surprise, Sean O’Malley was extremely popular at UFC 292.

But fans in Boston were also treated to the grace and dignity of Aljamain Sterling.

Shockingly, O’Malley won the fight because Sterling lacked the patience to fight his style. Sterling even admitted after the fight that he wanted to give fans a more exciting fight, so he stayed less disciplined to a grappling-dominated game plan that was nearly certain to bring him victory.

O’Malley capitalized on Sterling’s mistake, and it led to one of the most shocking finishes in UFC history. And it now looks like, eventually, there will be a rematch. If Sterling opts to remain in the bantamweight division, then he is more than deserving of a second shot at O’Malley. But why rush it? Sterling fought in May and now lost in August; is another quick turnaround in December the best idea?

If Sterling fights Chito Vera in December, an opponent with a much more favorable striking matchup, then the winner can fight Sterling in 2024 at UFC 300.

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Michael Chandler desperately wants fight against Conor McGregor

Michael Chandler wants his fight against Conor McGregor to take place as soon as possible.

Can you blame him?

As great of an opportunity as it was to star alongside McGregor on The Ultimate Fighter 31, which aired on ESPN, there are equally-sized drawbacks to hitching your wagon to McGregor.

McGregor has yet to officially join the USADA testing pool. Once he does, it would take six months before he can fight. Unless, of course, an exception is granted.

“Obviously being in the USADA testing is a prerequisite to being in the UFC,” says Chandler, who spoke in Boston at UFC 292 on Saturday night. “What I’m saying is, are we splitting hairs with the whole, ‘He’s got to be in for six months’ thing? How long was Bo Nickal’s opponent [Val Woodburn] in the USADA testing pool? This is what we do all the time.”

Clearly, Chandler is tired of waiting for McGregor. The initial plan was to run their fight as early as July. If the fight somehow happens on December 30, it would allow Chandler an opportunity to still fight two times next year.

At 37, Chandler is fighting a battle he cannot win against Father Time. He has no time to spare, which explains why he is so willing to bend the rules to get his date with destiny against McGregor.

Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.