Ronda Rousey completely reinvented the sport of mixed martial arts during her prime. She almost single-handedly forced the UFC to change their long-time position of not having female fighters.
Her success inside the cage and her box office drawing power made her an undeniable asset. Rousey shot to the top of the UFC and instantly became the Bantamweight Champion.
She went on to defeat a string of challengers during a dominant championship reign. Her time at the top eventually came to a stunning end thanks to a knockout from Holly Holm.
A second consecutive defeat from Amanda Nunes officially signaled the end of her initial UFC career. Rousey then burst into WWE at the 2018 Royal Rumble premium live event.
She made a surprise appearance at the end of the show after Asuka won the very first women’s Rumble match. This led to Ronda Rousey making her in-ring WWE debut at WrestleMania 34.
She teamed with fellow Olympian Kurt Angle to defeat Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. Although WWE positioned Rousey as a beloved babyface, WWE fans quickly grew tired of the presentation.
Many who followed her MMA career wanted to see the edge that made her a major draw in the first place. WWE eventually turned her heel in the run-up to WrestleMania 35.
Becky Lynch would go on to defeat Rousey at that event in controversial fashion. It was too little, too late, and Rousey was done with the company for several years.
She made a comeback in 2022 that largely failed to set the wrestling world on fire. Speaking on his 83 Weeks podcast, Eric Bischoff explained why WWE made a huge mistake with her booking.
Bischoff said she never should have been positioned as a hero to the audience. He believes her legitimate fighting background made her a natural heel who should have been portrayed as a dangerous threat.
Despite her complicated professional wrestling legacy, Rousey is now preparing for a shocking return to her combat roots. It was recently announced that the former champion is officially returning to mixed martial arts.
She will face pioneer Gina Carano in a featherweight clash on May 16, 2026. The event will be promoted by Most Valuable Promotions and stream live on Netflix from the Intuit Dome in California. This dream matchup has been discussed by fighting enthusiasts for over a decade.
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