White doubts Rousey comeback: 'I wouldn't say she fights again'

UFC president Dana White is ready to wave goodbye to one of his golden geese.

Based on a recent conversation he had with Ronda Rousey, White told the "UFC Unfiltered" podcast that he doesn't expect Rousey to fight again after her comeback this past December ended in a 48-second TKO loss to women's bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes.

That result came after Rousey spent over a year on the shelf recovering from being knocked out by Holly Holm, and White believes she won't get back in the saddle again.

"I just talked to Ronda this morning on the way to the gym," White said, according to Jim Edwards of FloCombat. "She's good, you know, she's doing her thing. The conversation I had with her, if I had to say it right here right now - and I don't like saying anything because it's up to her - but I wouldn't say she fights again.

"I think she's probably done and she's going to ride off into the sunset and live her life outside of fighting."

White refused to pile on when it came to criticizing Rousey's mindset, preparation, and coaching, but he acknowledged that her success with projects outside of fighting is reason enough for her to realistically consider retirement.

While the UFC doesn't always have the best reputation when it comes to how it treats its athletes, one thing White has never done is asked any of his superstar fighters to stick around when it's clear that they have one foot out the door. That's no small thing considering his close relationship with Rousey, and what a marketable asset she is for his promotion.

"Look, man, I'm happy for her," White said. "She came in and she changed the world. She put female fighting on the map and she's been a part of the biggest fights in the history of women's fighting. I hope those records can be broken. I don't know if they can, but I hope they can."