It appears that Ronda Rousey may be leaving The WWE sooner than expected. In a recent edition of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that there is a “very good chance” that Rousey could be done with the company after WrestleMania.
According to Meltzer, the working idea is that Rousey will be finishing up at WrestleMania 35 in April. He added that her departure is imminent and everyone in the company is working with the mindset that Rousey will be finishing up within the next couple of months.
Rousey joined The WWE last year, appearing at the end of The Royal Rumble PPV Event. Her first major match was a Tag Team Match with Kurt Angle against Triple H & Stephanie McMahon at WrestleMania 34 last April. Even before her debut, Rousey said that she wanted to start having children soon, as seen below:
“We’re ready to start having kids soon and I was thinking about what I’ve left unfinished in my life because I want to entirely focus on having kids when that time comes,” Rousey told Yahoo Sports in March of 2018. “I took a long look at my life and thought that if I don’t try and take a shot with the WWE, I would regret it for the rest of my life. I want to be an example to my kids about pursuing your dreams and being able to do anything. I guess this is my way of nesting and getting ready for children. I’m trying to prove to my unborn babies that they can accomplish any dream that they want to go after.”
In June of last year, WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair said that Rousey’s WWE deal was for one-year and that she “then wants to get out of there.” Flair also said that Rousey wanted to have children and that she should be prepared to lose a potential match with his daughter, Charlotte Flair, at WrestleMania 35, as seen below:
“In my humble opinion, if Rousey wants to elevate her status in the company she needs to go through The Queen and The Queen ain’t afraid of her, I got news for ya,” Flair said during a Q&A in Florida. “I just saw her deadlift 315 lbs and she can bench 205 lbs for 6 reps. She is gifted beyond belief. I’m not involved obviously in any of the thinking but if they’re ever going to put the women where they belong, this is the year because I think Ronda has only signed a one-year deal and then she wants to get out of there. She wants to have kids and all that. She just needs to be be prepared to lose. Not if sure if Ronda likes that.”
Sources within WWE said that at the time Rousey was signed to a multi-year deal.
Meltzer also noted that there is a possibility that Rousey may end her WWE run at The PPV after WrestleMania, which would be Backlash in May. As we have seen in the past when Brock Lesnar appeared to be leaving the company only to suddenly sign a new deal, there is always a chance that WWE can offer the same deal to Rousey at the last minute. It was also noted that WWE could always possibly have her in a role similar to The Undertaker or John Cena where she appears sporadically.
Rousey is currently The RAW Women’s Champion and is scheduled to defend her title against Sasha Banks at The Royal Rumble PPV Event this Sunday, January 27th inside Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.
Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter
