It’s official. Rowdy Ronda Rousey is a professional wrestler.
Rousey made her highly anticipated appearance at Sundays Royal Rumble event in Philadelphia and announced her switch from MMA to ‘sports entertainment’.
Speaking to ESPN, Rousey confirmed she has signed a full time contract with the WWE.
“This is my life now. First priority on my timeline for the next several years. This is not a smash-and-grab; this is not a publicity stunt. When I first met with Triple H, I told him, ‘There are other things I can do with my time that’ll make way more money, but I won’t enjoy nearly as much’.”
After the event, the WWE Twitter page posted the following interview where Rousey explained that this has been a dream of hers since childhood.
EXCLUSIVE: @RondaRousey offers her candid thoughts just moments after shocking the @WWEUniverse at @WWE #RoyalRumble! pic.twitter.com/Ho3HOS8jo9
— WWE (@WWE) January 29, 2018
UFC president Dana White has said several on several occasions that he didn’t feel Rousey would ever return to fight in the UFC. While the former UFC bantamweight champion officially retiring from MMA, this latest development certainly spells the end for any hopes that she might return in the immediate future.
“(Retirement is) what everybody else seems to say,” Rousey said. “I never retired from judo. If that’s what you guys want to think. All I know is that I really want to devote 100 percent of my time to wrestling right now, and whatever people want to call that, they can call it.”
Based on the initial behind the scenes footage released by the WWE, it would appear that Ronda is genuinely happy with this latest career development. Rousey had been subject to intense speculation over her future following her last UFC appearance where she lost in spectacular fashion to bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes. For now at least, the UFC can continue to move on from the Rowdy era and wish her the best with her new adventure.
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