Dana White Thinks Ronda Rousey Is Done, Jon Jones Return Note, UFC On Donald Trump's Travel Ban
- UFC president Dana White talked with TMZ Sports recently and does not believe we will see Ronda Rousey compete inside the Octagon again. After taking more than a year off, Rousey returned in December and was finished inside of the first round by the hands of Amanda Nunes.
"It's no different than any other sport. When you're a professional athlete and you're performing at a certain level, the day comes when you don't anymore," White said. "It happened to Ronda. This sport is very, very tough. You have to stay on top of your game and it's a young man and young woman's sport. Throughout the history of time in fighting, one day you just show up and you don't have it anymore. It always happened that way."
Rousey had been unbeaten in her career until falling to Holly Holm in 2015 in Australia for the UFC female bantamweight title. She was granted an immediate rematch upon returning, but Nunes finished her in 48 seconds.
- When Jon Jones is cleared and ready to return to the Octagon, he'll likely be the first person to compete for the light heavyweight title, according to UFC president Dana White. Current champion Daniel Cormier defends his belt against Anthony Johnson at UFC 210 later this year and "Bones" should be cleared to fight again this summer.
"Jon Jones is supposed to return around July so the timing is perfect. I haven't talked to him. I haven't talked to Jon Jones since the whole incident (last July during UFC 200," White said while appearing on UFC Unfiltered recently. "Depending on where Jon's head is and where he thinks he is, I would assume he would come right back and try to get his title back."
Jones was suspended for a year for failing a pre-fight drug test that nixed his bout with Cormier to unify the belts. He had previously been stripped of the title for an outside-the-Octagon issue.
- Gegard Mousasi is a little concerned that the travel ban put into place by President Donald Trump could keep him from competing at UFC 210 vs. Chris Weidman. The executive order impacts citizens of Muslim-majority countries including Iran, where Mousasi was born.
"I have the Dutch nationality, but I also have a visa," Mousasi told Telesport (thanks to Bloody Elbow for the comments). "But even with a visa you get in trouble, I heard. I'll hear more about it this week though. The UFC lawyers are busy, and the people who arrange the visas are too. So it is not in my hands. My job is to train and get ready for the game. It's just annoying."
The UFC released this statement regarding the travel ban to Bloody Elbow:
"We are aware of the federal travel ban. There are numerous variables including a judicial injunction. We are monitoring and will be affirmatively engaged to ensure that our fighters and employees are able to compete and do their jobs."
Mousasi, a former Strikeforce champion, was born to Armenian parents. His fight with Weidman is scheduled for April 8 in Buffalo, New York.