UFC President Dana White is unsure whether Ronda Rousey will return to the UFC after her devastating loss at UFC 207 at the hands of Bantamweight Champion Amanda Nunes.

Rousey’s return was supposed to a happy one, as people expected she would overcome a tough opponent, but in reality Nunes heavy-hitting power was just too much as she stopped Rousey within just 47 seconds.

Rousey agreed to fight Nunes at 207 after taking almost a year off after her shock defeat to Holly Holm, but now it seems the woman who raised the sport to untold heights might be calling it a day.

White says the sport is ‘very, very tough’ as he talked about Rousey

Since the loss to Nunes, Rousey has gone very quiet. A couple of Instagram posts have been received but there has been no official word about whether the 30-year-old will hang up the gloves.

Since her debut in UFC she has undoubtedly been one of the best female fighters ever to grace the octagon, and her appeal has spread far and wide. With roles in Hollywood films, her next career path could be vastly different to that of the Octagon.

But speaking about Rousey and the retirement rumours, White said: "It's no different than any other sport. When you're a professional athlete and you're performing at a certain level.”

“The day comes when you don't anymore. It happened to Ronda. This sport is very, very tough," said UFC president White.

The fight game is a ruthless business, and White alluded to the fact that it’s a ‘young man’ and ‘young woman’s’ sport.

White says Rousey and he will remain ‘very good’ friends

It’s certainly been a difficult period in Rousey’s career, the Nunes defeat was only her second ever in the UFC – but it could well be the defining one.

But White insisted that Rousey will remain a great friend, saying: "Obviously what she's accomplished in the UFC over the last four years and in the sport, her and I are very good friends and we'll be very good friends for the rest of our lives."

Rousey’s commitment to the UFC and MMA over the years has seen her rise into a phenomena that has crossed two different worlds.

Rousey took the UFC to heights never before seen and paved the way for women to fight, and for that White says she will always be connected with the company: "So Ronda will always be connected to the UFC. This will always be her house. Whatever she needs from me, I'm here for."