Ronda Rousey Cites WWE‘s Evolving Women’s Division as Reason for Departure, Signals Unlikely Return
STAMFORD, CT - Former UFC champion and WWE Superstar Ronda Rousey recently explained her departure from professional wrestling, attributing it to a shift in the company’s vision for its women’s division that occurred during her two stints with the institution.Rousey,who last held the SmackDown Women’s Championship in May 2023,indicated she felt her skillset and approach didn’t align with the direction WWE was taking.Rousey’s initial arrival in WWE in 2018 was met with significant fanfare, leveraging her established MMA background and mainstream appeal. She quickly captured the Raw Women’s Championship at SummerSlam that year. Though, she departed in 2020, and a subsequent return in 2022 was also relatively short-lived.
According to a recent report, Rousey believes she entered WWE at times when the women’s division was actively attempting to distance itself from being perceived as a secondary attraction to the men’s division. The company has since successfully established a competitive and prominent women’s division, featuring talents like Rhea Ripley, Jade Cargill, and Stephanie Vaquer.
“The company managed to surpass its former perception and create a full-fledged women’s division in modern times,” the article states, suggesting Rousey never had the chance to fully showcase her abilities within this evolved landscape.
Rousey’s accomplishments in WWE include one reign as Raw Women’s Champion, two reigns as SmackDown Women’s Champion, and a one-time Women’s Tag Team Championship win with Shayna Baszler on May 29, 2023. Prior to her WWE career, Rousey amassed a 12-2 professional MMA record, becoming the frist-ever UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion and the final Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion. Eleven of her twelve MMA victories came in the first round, with eight occurring in under a minute, and nine via armbar submission.
While Rousey has expressed a seeming finality regarding her wrestling career, she left the door slightly ajar, stating her response might change if approached by WWE.
