WWE Courting Ronda Rousey For A Match At WrestleMania 31
It appears that WWE is courting the current UFC women’s bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey, for a match at WrestleMania 31. The WWE.com staff writers compiled a list of the top 10 things that need to happen in 2015, and No. 4 on the list was Ronda Rousey competing in a WWE ring.
Below is what WWE.com staff writer Scott Taylor had to say about Rousey stepping into a WWE ring.
“A lifelong fan of WWE, Rousey already has sports-entertainment ties after adopting Roddy Piper’s ‘Rowdy’ nickname, and leading a stable of female MMA fighters called ‘The Four Horsewomen.’ It also doesn’t hurt that Rousey is known for her vicious armbar submission and unapologetic trash talking. Seeing Rousey step inside the squared circle is a dream scenario that needs to happen in 2015.”
Back in 2010, WWE was courting Brock Lesnar for a match with the Undertaker at WrestleMania 27. Lesnar and Undertaker created a good amount of buzz when Undertaker confronted Lesnar after Lesnar lost the UFC heavyweight championship to Cain Velasquez back at UFC 121 in October of 2011. Following the confrontation, there were strong rumors that Undertaker confronting Lesnar was to set up a match between the two.
UFC president Dana White nixed Lesnar appearing on any WWE programming while he was still an active fighter with a UFC contract; however, White did allow Lesnar to sign a merchandising deal with WWE, which allowed them to sell Brock Lesnar-related merchandise, and use him in their WWE ’12 video game.
Another example of White not liking his fighters to do anything pro-wrestling-related while they’re under contract is when the UFC was thinking about signing Kurt Angle back in 2009. Angle wanted to do both pro wrestling and fight for the UFC, but White’s response to Angle was “You’re either real, or you’re fake. You can’t be both.” So Angle chose to remain in TNA.
It’s unlikely that White will change his mind and allow Rousey to do anything pro-wrestling-related, even if it would be great publicity for her.
Back at Summer Slam in August, Stephanie McMahon acknowledged Rousey in the crowd before her match with Brie Bella, and after the event, Rousey participated in Stephanie’s ice bucket challenge. It’s been reported that ever since that day, WWE has “fallen in love” with Rousey, and badly want to have her wrestle a match at WrestleMania 31.
Rousey is one of the biggest pay-per-view draws in the UFC, and is by far the most dominant female fighter in the history of combat sports. Rousey is also one of the most polarizing figures in the UFC. So, it’s no surprise that WWE badly wants to sign her.
At just 27-years-old, Rousey is only a couple of fights away from completely cleaning out her weight class, and if she is able to do so, she may make the move to WWE. Rousey has already dabbled in the entertainment world, appearing in The Expendables 3, and being involved in The Fast and the Furious 7 and Entourage. She has also expressed her desire to be involved in pro wrestling in the future. So if WWE doesn’t get Rousey for this year’s WrestleMania 31, there’s still a good chance of her coming to WWE once her UFC career is over.
[Image via WWE]
