Ronda Rousey drops first training footage since announcing comeback fight as fans weigh in

MMA fans have shared mixed reactions to Ronda Rousey’s newest training footage.

The first-ever UFC women’s champion announced this month she will make her grand return to MMA in 2026, ending a near 10-year hiatus from the sport.

MVP

Rousey is set to face women’s MMA trailblazer-turned-actor Gina Carano at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on May 16.

The bout is a professionally sanctioned contest at 145lbs and will headline Netflix’s inaugural MMA event under the banner of Jake Paul‘s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP).

Rousey, who hasn’t fought since a 48-second knockout defeat to Amanda Nunes in December 2016, initially teased a comeback through a series of training videos last year.

Fans had tipped ‘Rowdy’ to return at the UFC’s upcoming White House card, but she denied her involvement in the show a few months later.

Rousey has since revealed she contacted UFC CEO Dana White before joining MVP, having had the idea to fight Carano while she was nine months pregnant with her second child.

Negotiations ‘didn’t exactly work out’, so Rousey pivoted and now finds herself representing MVP on her return

On Wednesday, the 39-year-old posted her first training footage since the announcement and it has got the entire MMA world talking.

Fans not convinced by Ronda Rousey’s training footage

“It’s motha effin’ montage time!” Rousey said.

“One day closer to #RouseyVsCarano on Netflix May 16.”

In the montage, Rousey can be seen shadowboxing and hitting the pads with her coach Edmond Tarverdyan.

While some fans agreed that the MMA great looks improved and more technical than ever before, many still view her striking as awkward and a big weakness.

Responding to the video, one fan said: “I’m sorry, this isn’t sharp at all.

“Her striking is abysmal and she should just stick to judo and arm bars.

“It’s easy to look good hitting pads, it’s hard to look slow and bad and somehow she pulled it off.”

Another wrote: “It’s actually really hard to look that bad in striking after doing it for that long.

“Looks like a crab carrying two watermelons under its armpits home from the fruit market.”

Instagram / netflixsports

A third noted: “Still a lil awkward but honestly looks way more technical than her old shadow boxing vids.”

While a fourth added: “If this is looking sharp, then my lord, this fight is gonna be a snooze fest.”

Others said Rousey ‘looked great’ and highlighted that striking has never been a strong point in her career.

Rousey won seven of her 10 UFC fights by armbar submission, with the other three ending in first-round KOs.

The MMA world has previously criticised her stand-up skills, but there’s no doubt Rousey will be doing everything in her power to defeat Carano come May 16.

Both women must undergo rigorous medical testing to be cleared to compete at the Netflix classic in California.

For all the upcoming fights and results this year, check out talkSPORT.com’s UFC schedule.