Bia Mesquita completely dismantled the ‘Russian Ronda’ in her Octagon debut. Now, she wants a crack at the real deal.

After kickstarting her MMA career with five straight finishes on the regional scene, the multi-time IBJJF black belt saw her stock rise significantly at UFC Rio, scoring a dominant second-round submission over Irina Alekseeva.

Following her show-stealing victory, Mesquita had nothing but positive things to say about the former UFC bantamweight champion. And with rumors spreading that the real Ronda Rousey could be on her way back to the fight game, Mesquita couldn’t help but shoot her shot.

“I don’t know who called her the Russian Ronda Rousey, but if she says so, that’s what she believes,” Mesquita said of Alekseeva, who goes by the ‘Russian Ronda’ moniker. “I’m a very big fan of Ronda. True, Ronda made history in MMA and opened a lot of doors for all the coming out, as well as me. I respect a lot all her history and everything she did to MMA women’s be what it is today.

“I really hope she comes back. Everybody enjoys her fighting a lot, and that would be amazing—the armbar battle—even knowing I haven’t got my armbars yet. But who knows, maybe fighting her, it will come.”

Is Ronda Rousey gearing up for a return at the UFC’s White House Event?

Earlier this month, Rousey dominated headlines after revealing on Instagram that she had resumed MMA training after years on the shelf. That immediately sparked rumors that the combat sports icon was eyeing a potential return to the fight game.

Of course, we’ve all seen these rumors before, which are often debunked by UFC CEO Dana White long before they gain any real traction.

However, with the UFC’s history-making fight card at the White House seemingly attracting interest from every big name in the business, it stands to reason that Rousey may want in on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

As for Mesquita, she’s certainly off to a hot start with her 6-0 record and 100% finish rate, but the Brazilian bombshell has a ways to go before being a viable challenger for Rousey’s potential return.

Craig Pekios

Craig Pekios is a freelance writer born and raised in Bettendorf, IA. Joining LowKick MMA in May 2022, Craig has more than 4,000 articles published that focus on the world of MMA and boxing, including news, event previews, results, analysis, and op-eds.