Ronda Rousey will return from her self-imposed exile Dec. 30 at UFC 207, where she'll face current women's bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes in Las Vegas. Rumors about the matchup had been swirling for several weeks, but UFC President Dana White confirmed the fight Wednesday on Fox Sports 1.

With Rousey vs. Nunes now official, plenty of questions will surface across the MMA landscape. The psychological impact of Rousey suffering the first loss of her career--and the fallout that occurred following the brutal knockout Holly Holm dished out at UFC 193 last November--will all come into focus. And for good reason.

Rousey rose to stardom on her self-assured presentation and her penchant for finishing opposition in quick fashion inside the cage. Yet, when her signature confidence was thoroughly tested by Holm in Australia, Rousey chose to block out the media and go off the radar.

The former Olympian's actions created a significant backlash throughout the MMA community, which served to dull Rousey's shine in the celebrity bubble. There's no doubt such a rapid change would be difficult for even the most seasoned veteran to handle, but now there is a date set for her to show and prove she's made the necessary adjustments.

Yet, with nearly a year away from the cage and the title she coveted so much within striking distance, Rousey's world could very much be coming back into focus. White assured Colin Cowherd on FS1 that the promotion's inaugural female champion was in a good place mentally and physically. While the UFC frontman hasn't been the authority on truth as of late, the fight becoming official signals Rousey is looking to get things back on track.

Any way the bout is measured, "Rowdy" faces a tough task in Nunes at UFC 207. An American Top Team fighter, Nunes has been on a tear the past two years and has won four straight fights inside the Octagon. The most recent, and certainly the biggest win of her career, came via steamrolling, as she drubbed Miesha Tate to win the women's 135-pound title at UFC 200 back in July.

Tate was a significant favorite going into her tilt with Nunes, but the scrappy Brazilian wouldn't be denied. Nunes smashed Tate en route to a first-round TKO victory, shining when the spotlight was at its brightest.

And while the experience gained from UFC 200 is something Nunes can be proud of, a fight against Rousey--and all the global attention it will bring--is something that can't be duplicated. Increased media obligations and the promotional grind have worn down many of Rousey's past opponents, and those hurdles will absolutely be on Nunes' schedule as well.

Rousey is a mega-watt star, Nunes is not, and the discrepancy in that category will spark numerous storylines and articles during the lead up to UFC 207.

On the flip side, Nunes has remained active, and three of her four victories in the past two years have come against elite-level competition. Whether or not Rousey will be able to handle the aggression Nunes brings from the onset will be just as much a question, and those threads are what make Rousey vs. Nunes a compelling fight.

A win over Nunes will put Rousey right back on top of the division she once ruled, and it will repair some of the damage done to her profile in 2016. Should Nunes defeat Rousey on Dec. 30, it would solve the problem of her being a talented champion who lacks name recognition. Beating Rousey would catapult Nunes' visibility, plain and simple.

And therein lies the appeal from the champion's perspective.

Facing Rousey is the biggest fight Nunes could possibly hope for, just as a matchup with Nunes is the ideal situation for Rousey to get back on the winning track. There's enough on the table from both athletes to make the bout worthwhile, and that should make for an interesting scrap.

Plus, fans get to see Rousey return to the cage. What could be bigger than that?

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