Ex-UFC champ shuts down report of Ronda Rousey vs. Katie Taylor boxing match

Cris Cyborg isn’t buying the recent report that UFC Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey is planning on coming out of retirement to face boxing star Katie Taylor next year.

In one of the more unexpected combat sports developments of the year, news broke yesterday that the Rousey and Taylor camps are apparently in active negotiations for what would be Rousey’s boxing debut and first fight since late 2016.

Neither fighter has publically commented on the report as of yet, but women’s MMA legend and current PFL star Cyborg didn’t hesitate to shut down the idea of a boxing match for “Rowdy” once she came across the news.

Cris Cyborg Proposes Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano Over Katie Taylor Fight

Scheduled to face the undefeated Sara Collins for the vacant PFL women’s featherweight belt at PFL Europe 4 next week, Cyborg was quick to disparage Rousey’s striking skills and suggest that a fight with fellow WMMA legend Gina Carano would be more likely for next year.

I once saw @RondaRousey shadow boxing and her shadow won!

Zero chance she fights boxing.

Maybe a return to the cage for a Gina Carano fight…but Ronda doesn’t belong anywhere near a boxing ring. https://t.co/CfYxvHHzV0
— CrisCy₿org.Com (@criscyborg) December 1, 2025

“I once saw [Ronda Rousey] shadow boxing and her shadow won! Zero chance she fights boxing. Maybe a return to the cage for a Gina Carano fight…but Ronda doesn’t belong anywhere near a boxing ring.”

An Olympic bronze medalist in judo at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Rousey made the jump to MMA in 2011 and immediately made waves with her grappling. “Rowdy” finished her first seven opponent via first-round armbar, and the last win during that initial run saw her defend the UFC women’s bantamweight belt against Liz Carmouche in the promotion’s first-ever women’s fight at UFC 157.

Ronda Rousey reacts following her TKO defeat against Amanda Nunes during UFC 207 at T-Mobile Arena. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Rousey went on to defend her belt six times in total and collect several wins via strikes before she was knocked out by Holly Holm in a major upset at UFC 193. The UFC Hall of Famer returned more than a year later at UFC 207, where she was stopped by Amanda Nunes in just 48 seconds.

WMMA Legend Cyborg Set For First MMA Fight In Over A Year

Considered by some to be the greatest fighter in the history of women's MMA, Cyborg first crossed over to boxing in 2022 and collected three stoppage-wins in the boxing ring this year ahead of her highly-anticipated return to MMA.

Cris Cyborg (red gloves) during her fight against Felicia Spencer (blue gloves) during UFC 240 at Rogers Place. | Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

The 40-year-old previously held the Strikeforce and Invcita FC featherweight belts before she joined the UFC in 2016, winning the promotion’s inaugural women’s 145 lbs. title in her third fight with the promotion. Cyborg defended the belt twice before losing to Nunes, and after one more UFC win she joined Bellator MMA and also had a successful championship run there.

Following the PFL’s acquisition of Bellator, the Brazilian defeated her countrywoman Larissa Pacheco in a fight for the PFL Featherweight Super Fights belt last year and is now slated to make her second appearance for the promotion against Collins in the co-main event of PFL Europe 4.

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