Ronda Rousey spars with Olympic boxer Mikaela Mayer ahead of Amanda Nunes bout at UFC 207
Former UFC women’s champion spars with Team USA Olympic boxer Mikaela Mayer as she ramps up preparations for her comeback fight with Amanda Nunes at UFC 207
RONDA Rousey has enlisted the help of an Olympic boxer as she prepares for her long-awaited Octagon return at UFC 207.
Former UFC bantamweight champion Rousey takes on reigning champion Amanda Nunes in the main event in Las Vegas on December 30.
Sparring partners: Team USA boxer Mikaela Mayer and UFC superstar Ronda RouseyCredit: Getty Images
And the former Olympic judo medallist has called on some help from US Olympic boxer Mikaela Mayer, who is fresh from her time competing in the Rio Olympics earlier this year.
Mayer, a former two-time US national champion, was one of just two female boxers on Team USA’s Olympic roster in Rio.
And now she’s helping Rousey sharpen her striking skills ahead of her comeback fight.
Mayer posted a pic to her Instagram page with the message: “Good first sparring session with the champ.”
Rousey’s last contest inside the Octagon saw her knocked out clean by former world champion boxer Holly Holm at UFC 193.
Holm used her superior footwork and timing to pick apart Rousey at range, wobbling her with punches before eventually sending her crashing to the canvas with a spectacular head kick.
"Unbelievable!" @_HOLLYHOLM knockouts
@RondaRousey to win the women's bantamweight title.#UFC193 https://t.co/09gjsWzK8o— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) November 15, 2015
That defeat led to widespread criticism of Rousey’s longtime MMA coach Edmund Tarverdyan, with Rousey’s own mother AnnMaria De Mars suggesting he was a “terrible coach” and saying she’d be better off switching training camps in a bid to broaden her fighting skillset.
Under fire: Ronda Rousey’s head coach Edmund Tarverdyan
But now it seems Team Rousey has drafted in reinforcements, with Mayer sparring with the former UFC champion in a bid to prepare Rousey for the dangerous striking skills of Nunes, who has finished all but one of her 13 career wins inside the distance, with 10 opponents stopped in the first round.
Meanwhile, Nunes is confident of victory in their December 30 showdown, telling TMZ she’s 200% convinced she’ll retain her title at the T-Mobile Arena on December 30.
