Ronda Rousey’s coach gives his take on if ‘Rowdy’ will ever fight again

Ronda Rousey took women’s mixed martial arts to a new level in her rise to stardom in the UFC.

Now, with two UFC losses in a row and recently engaged to fellow UFC fighter Travis Browne, many are still curious if Rousey will ever return to compete in the UFC again.

Rousey’s judo coach, Justin Flores, spoke with Submission Radio and was asked for his take on what the future holds for the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion and was asked if there are any plans of changing up training camps in the future as some have criticized her head coach Edmond Tarverdyan in her recent losses.

“I’m not sure. I still do talk to Ronda fairly often. She’s really busy, but we don’t really discuss anything that has to do with MMA or the fight game in general these days. So I know she’s taken a step back from all that. So I mean, I really don’t know. I have no place to speak on what she’s gonna do because I haven’t really discussed that with her. I’m just a good friend to her and I just hope the best for her. And just personally speaking, in judo and wrestling and all the sports that I’ve competed in, I would travel a lot and go to different camps and train with the best and train under the best and kind of become kind of well-rounded that way, rather than, I’m at this one place forever. And it just helps you kind of be able to fill in gaps if there are any because you get fresh eyes, fresh training partners. So from my perspective, I always think it’s good to be able to do that, to move around and to have other people take looks and to train with different people as long as it’s safe and they’re highly regarded. So as a coach, I think that’s a great idea. I mean, I’m not saying that that’s what’s gonna happen, I’m just saying from my perspective. So I couldn’t speak anyway on what she’s gonna choose to do. So I just don’t know.”

With Flores and Rousey’s discussions not involving talks of fights or MMA, it sounds like that is just not where the former champion’s head is at. Flores gave his current take on if he personally thinks Rousey will ever return to compete in the Octagon.

“Oh man, there’s a lot of layers to that. Personally, from what I… I mean, I would support her, but personally I don’t think it’s in the cards. I don’t think that’s what she wants in this time of her life. I mean, I’m not discounting anything. Maybe later. But I just don’t see that being something she wants to jump into and focus full force to be the best. Because if she’s gonna do anything, from what I know about her, she’s gonna do it to be the best. And not that I don’t think that she can be the best, it’s just, I just don’t know if her body and her mind at this stage in her life, if that’s what’s right for her. She’s competed her whole life. Her whole life has been about being the best, and I just think personally, the best thing is for her to kind of be okay with herself not as a fighter. So I love her to death, dude. I just know the pain she’s gone through physically, doing this forever, multiple surgeries, concussions, broken bones, weight cutting. All those things add up and take its toll, and it’s accumulative. So being 30 years old now and doing this since you were eight years old non-stop, I mean, the mileage you’ve put on your body and that she’s put on her body, I just don’t think if she wants to, you know, live a long happy life and raise kids with Travis, which I know that’s the future, I just don’t think that’s something I feel like would be in her best interests.”

Do you think Ronda Rousey is ready to have kids and close the chapter on her career as a mixed martial arts fighter? Let’s get your take in the comment section.

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 4/28/2017.