WWE News: WWE’s ‘WrestleMania’ Plans For Ronda Rousey If She Agrees To A Deal
It’s no secret that the WWE has been, and continues to be, in hot pursuit of UFC mega superstar, Ronda Rousey. Rousey collaborated with The Rock, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in a memorable segment at WrestleMania 31 in Santa Clara, California, and the WWE has wanted to recapture that magic ever since.
Ronda Rousey might be the biggest star the UFC has ever had, and on December 30 in Las Vegas at UFC 207, she will be competing in one of her final fights inside the octagon. Ronda will take on Amanda Nunes for the UFC women’s bantamweight championship in her first fight since her shocking defeat to Holly Holm at UFC 193 in November of 2015.
James Law photoshoot with @RondaRousey for @Reebok. #ArmbarNation #FearTheReturn #UFC207 https://t.co/64szJFHtuO pic.twitter.com/GwLTHs8L3A
— ArmbarNation (@ArmbarNation) November 20, 2016
The UFC recently lost one of their top stars when Miesha Tate announced her retirement following her loss to Raquel Pennington in a unanimous decision. Ronda Rousey may soon be joining her as the UFC looks for new stars to fill those top spots. Paige Van Zant remains one of the sport’s top stars, and her commitment to the octagon precluded her from a proposed SummerSlam appearance with the WWE this past August.
Ronda Rousey is a huge wrestling fan as it is, and got a taste of the sports entertainment spotlight in March of 2015. She and three other MMA fighters, Marina Shafir, Shayna Baszler and Jessamyn Duke parlayed their bond into a stable of their own, called The Four Horsewomen, an obvious homage to the popular faction of wrestling’s past led by Ric Flair.
Looks like @RondaRousey still loves the skrap pack.Can #MMA fans blame her?#MMA #BJJ #wrestling #RondaRousey #boxing #UFC #UFC207 #NateDiaz pic.twitter.com/r3TSJV57kx
— MMA Hype Watch (@MMAHWatch) November 19, 2016
The WWE had their own version of The Four Horsewomen in Charlotte, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Bayley when all four dominated the developmental landscape in NXT. The group has yet to be formed on television on the main roster, due in large part to the fact that they are now headlining the women’s division and have formed supremacy against each other rather than together.
No word on copyright infringement in regards to the moniker as of yet, but there could be a potential clash sooner than later if the WWE gets their way. According to Cageside Seats, the company remains hopeful that Ronda Rousey will agree to another appearance in the WWE, preferably at WrestleMania 33 in Orlando next April. One hurdle that remains, of course, is the blessing of Dana White.
The relationship between White and the WWE/Vince McMahon has improved over the years, as evidenced by the the temporary talent swaps in the form of Brock Lesnar and, of course, Ronda Rousey. Also, when CM Punk defected to the UFC, the WWE did provide footage to hype his debut.
Stephanie McMahon has advocated for Rousey’s return to the squared circle, both publicly and privately. Stephanie and Triple H came out on the short end of the stick during that segment at WrestleMania, so from a storyline perspective she’s claimed that she wants revenge from that arm bar. Privately, she’s obviously aware of the drawing power Ronda would bring back to the WWE with her.
#UFC207 #AndNew @UFC bantamweight champion @RondaRousey #ArmbarNation #FearTheReturn #UFC205 #UFCNYC pic.twitter.com/Vvx456DCSb
— ArmbarNation (@ArmbarNation) November 13, 2016
However, it doesn’t appear that Stephanie will get her comeuppance if Rousey is to return this spring. While there were once hopes that that segment would have parlayed into a mixed tag match down the road, the WWE is now focused on pitting Ronda Rousey with current WWE Women’s Champion Charlotte instead.
If you recall, Stephanie alluded to the success of women in sports outside of wrestling when she ushered in the Divas Revolution to the WWE. Specifically, she mentioned the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team and, of course, Ronda Rousey. Charlotte has skyrocketed to the top of the female division since her debut last summer and could be on a collision course with the most popular female combat athlete maybe ever.
Assuming Dana White gives his stamp of approval, the only competition remaining for the WWE would be Hollywood. Though her stock took a bit of a hit after the loss to Holly Holm a year ago, offers continue to roll in from the entertainment world, and all it will take is another Ronda Rousey victory to jump right back to the top. She should certainly be weighing her options at the end of UFC 207.
[Featured Image by WWE]
