Blink, and you may have missed Ronda Rousey’s last fight. The former UFC bantamweight champion met her match on December 30, 2016, when she got taken out by a hungry Amanda Nunes, who used Rousey’s head as target practice.
Rousey’s loss against Nunes, a fight that lasted 48 seconds, marked the end of one era for the UFC and the beginning of a new one. After barely being involved in fight week activities following a year away, Rousey soon disappeared from the spotlight.
Following a run in WWE and several movie appearances, Rousey announced her return to the cage in 2026 to take on Gina Carano. She hopes for a better outcome compared to what she endured that cold December night.
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The fight took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Over 18,533 were in attendance. They were excited, as Rousey was the -150 favorite. Nunes, the hard-hitting fighter, was a +120 underdog, extremely disrespectful looking back now.
Rousey attempted a comeback after a shocking loss against Holly Holm. Could she prove she still had something left to give after becoming a game-changing trailblazer? Or was she doomed the moment the right was announced?
The Sporting News takes a look back at Ronda Rousey’s final opponent and the fight.
Who is Amanda Nunes?
One of the most decorated and feared fighters in MMA history, Amanda Nunes became a two-division champion in the UFC and the only fighter to defend two belts while simultaneously holding them.
A Pan American Jiu-Jitsu Championship gold medalist, Nunes turned pro in 2008. She lost her first fight but then won six straight, including a win over Julia Budd. Nunes would beat several former world champions, including Rousey.
Nunes was on a four-fight win streak before facing Rousey, beating Valentina Shevchenko and Miesha Tate, the latter at UFC 200 for the UFC bantamweight title.
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After beating Rousey, she would beat Shevchenko again, Raquel Pennington, Holly Holm, and Cris Cyborg, the latter for the UFC featherweight title.
After dominating the competition for years, Nunes suffered her first loss since 2014 in 2021 against Julianna Pena. She avenged the loss against Pena and ended her career with a win against Irene Aldana in 2023.
Nunes was supposed to return in 2026 to fight Kayla Harrison, but a Harrison injury delayed any potential fight plans for the former.
What happened in Ronda Rousey’s last fight?
It wasn’t much of a fight as it was a sparring session for Nunes.
Nunes landed a leg kick and used that to distract Rouysey, hitting her in the face right after. She landed several big rights as Rousey tried to strike a boxer. Nunes, with her hands down, pressed forward, landing clubbing blows to the head of Rousey.
Less than a minute into the fight, Nunes landed brutal hooks to the face of Rousey that forced her into the cage. Referee Herb Dean saw enough and mercifully ended the fight to save Rousey.
As Joe Rogan said, “She lit Ronda up like a Christmas tree.”
Rousey ended her career, at least until the Carano fight, with a 12-2 record (3 KOs, 9 submissions).
Nunes (23-5) would go 9-1 after, become a two-division champion, retire, and has teased a return against Kayla Harrison.
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