Ronda Rousey, the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion, appears to be nearing the end of her fighting career. Since her devastating loss to Holly Holm in 2015, Rousey has not stepped back into the octagon. However, she recently announced her intention to return on New Year’s Eve to challenge current champion Amanda Nunes. Despite this, Rousey admits that she doesn’t plan on staying in the fight game for much longer.
UFC president Dana White believes that Rousey will shift her focus to acting once she retires from MMA. Rousey has already made appearances in major films like Fast and Furious 7, Entourage, and Expendables 3. She has even landed a starring role in the upcoming Roadhouse remake. However, transitioning from athlete to actor can be a difficult process, as the skills required for each domain are vastly different.
White’s prediction does leave room for another potential path for Rousey: the world of professional wrestling. After Rousey’s retirement announcement on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, Stephanie McMahon of WWE expressed interest in signing her once she is done with fighting. McMahon even joked, I gotta get her back from when she put me in that armbar, referring to a previous interaction.
A crossover to WWE seems fitting for Rousey, considering her prior involvement in the organization. At WrestleMania 31, she teamed up with Dwayne The Rock Johnson to take on Stephanie McMahon and Triple H. Rousey’s combination of athleticism and star power would undoubtedly make her a valuable addition to the wrestling world.
While Rousey explores her options beyond the octagon, the transition to acting won’t be seamless. She may be a fierce competitor in MMA, but that doesn’t guarantee success on the silver screen. Likewise, while Rousey’s WWE experience makes her a natural fit, she will still have to prove herself in the scripted world of professional wrestling.
Only time will tell which path Ronda Rousey ultimately pursues. Whether she finds success in Hollywood, conquers the wrestling ring, or surprises us all with a return to the octagon, one can’t deny the impact she has had on the sports and entertainment industries. Her story is far from over, and fans around the world eagerly await her next move.
