MMA Odds: What’s Next For Ronda Rousey?

For those who have somehow managed to remain in the dark, here’s a brief recap.

Ronda Rousey lost her UFC Women’s Bantamweight title in a devastating and humiliating loss to Holly Holm, and disappeared from the UFC for 13 months. Then, after much speculation, it was announced she would return to the octagon in a title fight against the current champion, Amanda Nunes.

The UFC went all out for her. They offered her a guaranteed $3m paycheck, regardless of the outcome, and granted her an unprecedented media blackout, allowing her to forgo all media obligations. All the advertising, from the posters to the preview videos, revolved around her and contained little to no mention of her opponent. All the hype was boiled down to two words: She’s Back.

But then she lost in spectacular fashion, lasting only 45 seconds into the first round. The UFC had banked so much on the fight, and Rousey went down before she could even land her first punch. If her defeat to Holm had been embarrassing, this was a whole new level. The once invincible champion had been chewed up and spat out by the division she created.

And so now fans around the world are left wondering what’s next for Rousey. Well, the MMA superstar has quite a few options she can explore. Here are the odds on what she could do next.

Odds On What Ronda Rousey Will Pursue Next:

Pursue a career in Hollywood: 7/3

Rousey already has a notable filmography, having played roles in The Expendables 3, Furious 7, and Entourage movie. In 2015, it was announced she would star in a remake of the Patrick Swayze action flick, Road House.

She’s one of the few to transcend the UFC and already has a number of credits to her name. If she wants to pursue a Hollywood career, the door is wide open for her.

Remain in the UFC: 3/1

Rousey could choose to recover, overhaul her training camp, and return as a new, more complete fighter. After her recent loss, it wouldn’t be fair to grant her a title shot right away. She would have to rebuild and fight a few title eliminators first. But at 29-years-old, there is still some time for her to climb her way back to the top.

The women’s bantamweight division has grown leaps and bounds, and Rousey will never dominate like she did when she was champion. But despite her losses, she remains one of the top-ranked fighters in the division.

Join the WWE: 3/1

Last March, Rousey appeared at WrestleMania 31 alongside the Rock to exchange words with Stephanie McMahon and Triple H before throwing them out of the ring. Rousey is a lifelong pro wrestling fan, even taking her nickname “Rowdy Rousey” from wrestling legend “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.

Fade into obscurity: 9/1

Let’s not forget Rousey is now $3m richer. She doesn’t need to work another day in her life if she doesn’t want to. Many of the greatest fighters in history suffered devastating defeats toward the end of their careers, but their legacies remain intact.

But there’s something about Rousey that tells me she isn’t done just yet.

Photo credit: Miguel Discart, CC BY-SA 2.0 [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0], via Flickr.