Not long ago, an immediate rematch between Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm at UFC 200 was a foregone conclusion. Anything else just wouldn't make any sense, right? Especially if the UFC wanted to make that card the biggest in history.
Well, in mixed martial arts, even the best-laid plans die hard. And so it is with this one.
UFC president Dana White told Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday that Rousey will most likely not fight at UFC 200, because she needs more time off due to other obligations outside the Octagon.
Rousey is set to star in the remake of Road House and be a major character in another movie, Mile 22. Both of those big-budget Hollywood flicks are set to film in the first half of 2016. Rousey wisely asked for more time off.
"The filming of the movie got pushed back," White told Iole. "She could do both, but the question is, should she do both? She could do both, but why should she? The filming is in a time frame where she'd finish before 200, but it would be cutting it too close."
Many have said that Rousey should take more time off after losing to Holm at UFC 193, especially given the incredible amount of obligations she has in Hollywood and otherwise. Just this month, it was announced she'd be in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in only body paint and hosting Saturday Night Live on Jan. 23.
Holm beat Rousey by second-round head kick knockout at UFC 193 on Nov. 15 in Melbourne, Australia. It was the first loss of Rousey's career and Holm became the second-ever UFC women's bantamweight champion with the victory.
Rousey's change of plans means the recent news that Holm will fight again before the rematch makes even more sense. Holm will defend the title against Miesha Tate at UFC 197 on March 5 in Las Vegas, the UFC announced Tuesday.