Ronda Rousey’s boxing progress is debated after she posted new training footage for her MMA comeback

A lengthy layoff that included some concerning comments about concussion symptoms left many writing off comeback talk. Despite that, Rousey will soon fight Gina Carano on Netflix under the banner of Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions.

With both having not fought in so long, many are skeptical about the quality of the contest. And those unsure about how Rousey will look in 2026 have not been filled with confidence by her latest training footage.

Who had the bigger impact on the UFC? 🤔

Fans debate whether Ronda Rousey’s boxing has improved

It looks like Rousey will be bringing the fans along on her journey back to the cage to face Carano, as she has frequently posted footage of her training in the gym in recent months.

The latest video was posted on Instagram on Wednesday, and it showed the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion hitting the pads with her coach.

‘Rowdy’s’ striking deficiencies were a large part of her downfall inside the Octagon. After Rousey was knocked out by Holly Holm in shocking fashion, she fell to a similar fate at the hands of Nunes a year later.

With those results in mind, the fans have unsurprisingly been analyzing the current state of Rousey’s boxing game in the lead-up to her comeback.

Many suggested that the same issues from 10 years ago still mark a weakness for the legendary women’s MMA pioneer.

“If this is sharp then looks like I’m ready for my debut.”

“Head movement! Head movement!”

“I remember what happened the last time she thought she could stand and box with someone that can actually throw hands.”

“HEAD MOVEMENT!”

“Lookin like another head kick KO.”

“Looks terrible and always been overrated.”

“She’s still boxing like this?”

Others, however, were more optimistic about what they had seen.

“Looks great.”

“Ronda been training with Crawford.”

“Looks as good as she’s looked hitting the pads.”

“Champ putting in the work.”

“She’s been working on her striking.”

“Looks better, right hand looks good.”

Why is Ronda Rousey’s return not happening in the UFC?

Rousey’s comeback against Carano, who herself will be returning from a 17-year layoff, took the MMA community by surprise.

One of the first questions on many fans’ lips surrounded why the former UFC champion was not heading back to the promotion in which she enjoyed massive success and set multiple records during her prime years.

According to ‘Rowdy’, a return to the Octagon was the original plan. Rousey approached Dana White about the Carano fight and initially got a positive response from the UFC president.

However, the ex-bantamweight queen explained how the new Paramount broadcast deal saw talks with her former organization collapse.

Rousey suggested that the agreement with the streaming platform means the UFC is now focused on cost-efficient events rather than booking the biggest fights.

That ultimately brought her to the doorstep of Netflix and Paul.