VIDEO | Daniel Cormier says Ronda Rousey will never be dominant again

Late last year, in the main event of UFC 207, former women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey returned to the cage for the first time since she was turned off by a Holly Holm head-kick more than a year earlier. She did so against the division’s reigning queen, Amanda Nunes.

Unfortunately for Rousey and her hordes of fans, this comeback did not go as planned. Instead, she was mauled by Nunes in just 48 seconds, demonstrating little in the way of improvements for the scant moments that the bout lasted.

In the wake of this foiled comeback, many fans and media members have suggested that Rousey’s best days are done. A small few, however, suggested that it might still be possible for her improve and return to her winning ways. UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier is not part of this small few.

In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, which can be viewed at the top of this article, Cormier explained his belief that the division has evolved past Rousey, and that she will never be the dominant force she once was as a result. His words:

“Can she be the person that she was a couple of years ago? I don’t believe so. This game has evolved to a point that it would be very difficult, especially if your game is limited. Again, I love Ronda, but her boxing doesn’t seem to have improved. She doesn’t kick – I don’t think she’s really kicked – so to have to go out there and really throw somebody down and grapple with them, I don’t know if that works anymore. I think that Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena and Valentina Shevchenko…they’ve showed how much this level has gone up in female fighting in a very short period of time.”

“Can she go in there and win some fights? Yes. Can she beat women in 10 seconds, 19 seconds, 38 seconds? I think those days are gone. That’s not happening anymore, everybody’s too well-rounded.”

Do you agree with Daniel Cormier, or is it still possible for Ronda Rousey to return to her once dominant form? Sound off, PENN Nation!

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 1/30/2017.