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Germaine de Randamie is a former UFC champion, having captured the women's featherweight title in a controversy-laden bout against Holly Holm. Despite reaching the peak of the sport by winning UFC gold, de Randamie hasn't fought since 2020.
Her last bout in the promotion was against Julianna Pena in October 2020, which she won via third-round submission. She then took a sabbatical from the sport but has revealed during an interview on Dutch YouTube channel UFC op Eurosport that she intends to return to the octagon this year, either in October or November.
When asked about her upcoming octagon return, 'The Iron Lady' said the following (at 0:04 minutes):
"Yes, we are fully training. I don't have a date yet but we are going for November or October, end of October or November. I'm feeling good, I'm waiting for the call right now. My manager is negotiating, so we'll see."
Given that Germaine de Randamie's last win was over Julianna Pena, one of the most recent champions at 135 pounds, it is likely that she might immediately find herself in the title picture upon her return, especially in the wake of Amanda Nunes' retirement.
Fans could be eager for de Randamie's return, given the state of the women's bantamweight division. The title is currently vacant and there is no news on who will compete for the divisional strap. Mayra Bueno Silva was favored for the position, but a recent positive drug test could derail her momentum.
Why was Germaine de Randamie stripped of her UFC title?
Germaine de Randamie defeated Holly Holm to win the promotion's inaugural women's featherweight championship. However, not long after capturing the title, she was stripped of it due to her refusal to fight her first challenger, who happened to be all-time great fighter Cris Cyborg.
'The Iron Lady' was adamantly against facing the Brazilian bruiser due to Cyborg's past PED usage. The UFC and the fans regarded her stance as her refusing to honor her responsibilities as the defending champion, prompting the organization to strip her of the title.
