Ronda Rousey (12-1) suffered a devastating knockout last November, has spent much of the last year filming movies and is most recently recovering from knee surgery, which is expected to keep her out until early 2017.
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But current UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes (13-4) doesn't think it will be quite that long, as she's hoping Rousey will return for the organization's first card in Madison Square Garden this November, per MMAFighting.com.
"That's the fight that makes sense because Ronda was one of the best fighters of all times, and I'm the champion," Nunes said. "I also made history for my country, and this is a fight that makes sense for that huge event, one of the biggest pay-per-views in the UFC. I will take my country with me, and she will be fighting in her country. I want this fight in New York. It will be historic."
If Rousey doesn't return in November, Nunes is ready for her next challenger, which evidently won't be Holly Holm, Miesha Tate nor Cris Cyborg, but Julianna Pena:
"Julianna is on a winning streak now. If Ronda doesn't come back, it's going to be Julianna, for sure," she said. "But I believe (Ronda) will come back."
Nunes hasn't been shy about her willingness to fight Rousey, saying she's "mentally stronger" than the women Rousey has fought in the past.
Nunes is on a four-fight win streak, with her last loss suffered at the hands of Cat Zingano by TKO in 2014. Pena (8-2) has won her last four fights.
