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Ronda Rousey’s Medical Suspension Forces Her To Put A Potential Rematch With Holly Holm On Hold

By Christian Savoy
Published on: 00:30 PST, Nov 19, 2015

It appears the beating Ronda Rousey received from Holly Holm during her title defense in Melbourne, Australia, on Saturday was more severe than previously thought because the UFC has now placed her on a six-month medical suspension. According to a report from Fox Sports, the suspension is mostly due to concerns that Rousey might have a possible head injury. MixedMartialArts.com was the first to release the news that the former bantamweight champion was suspended from the sport for 180 days as a precautionary measure due to the vicious blows she received in losing the fight via knockout.

According to the New York Post, the medical suspensions are usually run by state athletic commissions that regulate fights. Although they are usually not made public, the UFC shared a full list of medical suspensions (for Rousey and other competitors) via MixedMartialArts.com. The six-month suspension is the most severe suspension imposed by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) for health reasons of fighters. However, Rousey could return to the octagon sooner than expected depending on the results of a CT Scan, which can more easily diagnose problems such as trauma and musculoskeletal disorders.

The first 45 days of her suspension will be complete inactivity, which includes no training. According to the report, the medical suspension is 60 days without fighting and 45 days without any contact subject to the results of physical and neurological tests. Strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk also received a six-month medical suspension due to a broken right hand she sustained in her victory over Valerie Letourneau.

Rousey was knocked out early in the second round of the main event of UFC 193 by Holm, who dominated the match from the beginning. The surprising outcome occurred when Holm delivered a vicious kick to Rousey’s face that sent her to the ground and ended her reign as UFC champ. She was later transferred to a hospital in Melbourne, Australia, where she was stitched up for a split lip and was told she would need plastic surgery on her face.

“She went to the hospital. Her lip is split,” UFC president Dana White said after the fight. “They’re going to have to sow her lip, put stitches on it, but other than that, she was good.”

The damage Holm did to Rousey’s face was so bad that Rousey did everything possible to prevent cameras from recording her upon her recent arrival in Los Angeles. It is clear that Saturday’s loss to Holm had a great impact on Rousey, who not only came to LAX covered with a hood and sunglasses, she also used a pillow to completely hide her face as she exited the airport.

TMZ recorded her and her boyfriend, Travis Browne, as the couple walked through the airport. MMA Junkie reports that the paparazzi attempted to ask both Rousey and Browne questions about Rousey’s health, her fight, and even Floyd Mayweather. But neither were talking. The video is very different from what are used to seeing from Rousey, who usually speaks to the paparazzi and always had time to greet her fans. Not this time.

Meanwhile, Dana White told TMZ that “the last thing a fighter wants to do is talk about a fight when they lose.”

White continued, “There was not a lot of talking.”

Earlier this week, Rousey published a message on her Instagram account noting that the plan is for her to take some time to rest and then she will return to fighting. White said Rousey did not suffer a concussion, but she did have a large wound on her lower lip, so they are looking for the best surgeon to do the operation. The CT scan will confirm whether or not there is any serious injury.

[Image via Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Entertainment]

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