WWE wants UFC star Ronda Rousey to make leap from octagon to wrestling ring
WWE executive Paul Levesque dines with Rousey again fuelling speculation that UFC’s biggest female star could be set for a career change
UFC star Ronda Rousey’s next fight could come in a WWE ring.
WWE executive Paul Levesque, better known as wrestling superstar Triple H, had dinner with Rousey in Los Angeles on Tuesday night, again fuelling speculation that UFC’s biggest female star could leave the octagon for a career in sports entertainment.
Rousey, once the most dominant fighter in mixed martial arts, has not competed since she suffered a 48-second loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 in December 2016. Rousey (12-2) lost two straight bouts in 13 months and took a hiatus that saw her branch out into other forms of entertainment.
Rousey, who adopted the “Rowdy” nickname from WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, is a big wrestling fan and has made guest appearances at WWE events. She notably stood side-by-side with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as they fought off the villainous Triple H and his wife and fellow executive, Stephanie McMahon.
Rousey and fellow UFC fighters Marina Shafir, Shayna Baszler and Jessamyn Duke were known as the Four Horsewomen – a tribute to the nefarious Ric Flair-led Four Horsemen stable of the 1980s and ’90s. Baszler has signed with WWE and wrestles in NXT.
The WWE recently announced it will hold its first women’s Royal Rumble match (an over-the-top-rope battle royale) at the January 28 Royal Rumble pay-per-view in Philadelphia. The match would be a splendid time to showcase Rousey in her WWE debut if she can break free from her film commitments. Rousey could also lead her Horsewomen against a WWE faction at WrestleMania on April 8.
“We have nothing to announce at this time,” Levesque said. “But she’s a huge fan of what we do and she’s incredibly interested in what we do and the opportunities that lie there. We’re fans of hers and incredibly interested in what those opportunities could be with us. But there’s a lot of things to walk through. We’re talking. We’re having conversations.”
UFC president Dana White was on holiday and unavailable for comment.
Levesque was in Los Angeles to speak on a Television Critics Association panel.
Rousey refused to comment when approached by TMZ, only saying, “I enjoy fine dining.”
But it’s clear that the Rousey-wrestling connection appeals to WWE.
“I’d love it,” Levesque said.