Dana White inducts Ronda Rousey into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2018, inset throwback banner. Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Dana White was unsure about Ronda Rousey’s UFC future on the night she ended her greatest rivalry

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow | By Kyle Dimond | Last updated Dec 28, 2025 7:02 PM ET

On this day in 2013, Ronda Rousey’s star status continued to climb to historic heights.

Dana White may have shut down the idea of Rousey returning to competition but he’s maintained that the UFC will always be her home.

The former bantamweight champion remains one of the biggest stars that the promotion and entire sport has ever produced.

White may have been off on Rousey’s 2016 return numbers, but there’s no denying that she is one of the most important people when it comes to the UFC’s growth.

Her second fight inside the Octagon saw her continue to dominate when competing on a card that the promotion’s president believed would set a new benchmark.

Dana White admitted that he couldn’t stop Ronda Rousey from leaving MMA for Hollywood after UFC 168

Dana White had high hopes for UFC 168 on December 28 of 2013, and while it didn’t become the biggest UFC event of all time, it was still a very successful night.

Anderson Silva’s gruesome injury in his main event rematch with Chris Weidman did leave the fans inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena disappointed but the co-main event delivered.

It was Ronda Rousey’s first clash with Miesha Tate in Strikeforce and their rivalry that helped convince White to introduce female weight classes into the UFC in the first place.

In 2013, they met in a rematch where Tate was submitted by Rousey in the third round, making her the first woman to survive past the opening round when facing the defending bantamweight champion.

‘Rowdy’ was originally lined up to face Cat Zingano but an injury forced the promotion to change their plans, with the UFC’s new star having a long break between her Octagon debut in February and return in December.

In an interview with Ariel Helwani for FOX Sports after the event, White was asked whether he had any concerns about Rousey’s growing star status and mainstream attention meaning that the UFC wouldn’t be her priority.

Helwani specifically referenced Gina Carano, who recently returned to training after leaving MMA to explore Hollywood.

“I mean, if she got the opportunity to take off and become a movie star, what are you gonna do if that’s what she wants to do?” White responded. “When you’re a fighter and you’re fighting, you have to be 100% into it and if you’re not 100% into it, then you can’t.”

Ronda Rousey and her husband raked in the bonuses at UFC 168

Just one fight before Ronda Rousey’s title defense, her current husband, who she married four years later, Travis Browne, produced a statement victory over Josh Barnett.

As a result of their impressive performances, both Rousey and Browne won bonuses for the Knockout and Submission of the Night, which were $75,000 at the time.

The women’s bantamweight champion also earned an additional $75,000 for Fight of the Night, meaning that she earned more in bonuses than her reported payout, which was $100,000 without sponsors.

This article first appeared on Bloody Elbow and was syndicated with permission.

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