TLDR
- Ronda Rousey is training with PFL fighter Jena Bishop months after retiring from MMA
- Bishop will fight Liz Carmouche for the inaugural PFL women’s flyweight championship on Oct. 16
- The fight is a rematch of last year’s tournament final, which Carmouche won by third-round stoppage
- Rousey defeated Carmouche at UFC 157 in 2013 in her UFC debut
- The PFL Chicago bout will crown the promotion’s first women’s flyweight champion
Sources: sherdog.com | sports.yahoo.com
Former UFC champion Ronda Rousey has returned to MMA training months after retiring from the sport. The Professional Fighters League shared photos showing Rousey working with fighter Jena Bishop as she prepares for a championship bout.
Bishop will challenge Liz Carmouche for the inaugural PFL women’s flyweight championship at PFL Chicago on Oct. 16. The event takes place at Wintrust Arena and marks the promotion’s first new title since merging with Most Valuable Promotions.
Rousey retired from mixed martial arts after losses in her final UFC fights. She became the face of women’s MMA during her championship run before stepping away from the sport.
Bishop Gets Second Chance at Title
The upcoming fight is a rematch from last year’s PFL women’s flyweight tournament final. Carmouche stopped Bishop in the third round of that meeting to win the tournament.
Ronda Rousey is back in the gym… helping Jena Bishop prepare for the Liz Carmouche rematch.
Bishop challenges Carmouche for the inaugural PFL women’s flyweight title on Oct. 16.
Rousey already beat Carmouche once (UFC 157). Now she’s in Bishop’s corner. pic.twitter.com/SGXevjfasM
— UFC Archives (@goldpie11) August 26, 2026
Bishop has bounced back since that loss with two straight victories. She defeated Borena Tsertsvadze and Ariane Lipski da Silva to earn another shot at Carmouche.
Carmouche enters the title fight on a winning streak as well. She most recently submitted Viviane Araujo in June to maintain her position as the top contender in the division.
The bout will crown the PFL’s first women’s flyweight champion. This represents the promotion’s first new title since its merger with Most Valuable Promotions.
Rousey and Carmouche Share History
Rousey’s involvement in Bishop’s training camp carries extra meaning because of her past with Carmouche. The two fought at UFC 157 in 2013 in a historic bout.
That fight marked Rousey’s UFC debut and the first defense of her UFC women’s bantamweight title. Rousey won the fight, defeating Carmouche to continue her dominant championship run.
The UFC 157 bout was also historic as the first women’s fight in UFC history. It took place more than 13 years ago when women’s MMA was just beginning to gain mainstream attention.
Rousey was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame for her contributions to the sport. She helped establish women’s MMA as a major draw and opened doors for future female fighters.
The PFL posted photos of the training session on Instagram. The images show Rousey and Bishop working together in preparation for the upcoming title fight.
Bishop faces a tough challenge in Carmouche, who already defeated her once. However, Bishop’s recent wins show she has improved since their first meeting.
The PFL Chicago main event on Oct. 16 will determine if Bishop can avenge her earlier loss. With Rousey’s help in training camp, Bishop hopes to become the promotion’s first women’s flyweight champion.
