3-Time World Champion Confirms They’ll Never Return to WWE
Ronda Rousey officially left WWE in October 2023, following her loss to Shayna Baszler at SummerSlam in an MMA Rules match. Her departure was gradual, but after being moved to the alumni page and openly stating her retirement in October, it was clear Rousey had closed this chapter.
Throughout her WWE stint, Rousey collected major accolades, including the Raw Women’s Championship once, the SmackDown Women’s Championship twice, and the 2022 Royal Rumble win. But she began feeling a disconnect as her goals shifted and close friends left the roster.
She later appeared on the independent circuit, teaming with former stablemate Marina Shafir, but her wrestling career soon ended due to health reasons and personal fulfillment.
Why Ronda Rousey Doesn’t Want To Return to WWE?
Speaking in an interview with Yahoo’s Uncrowned, Rousey shared that her time in the Stamford-based promotion was filled with anxiety and constant backstage chaos, especially as the company released her friends Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke, and Marina Shafir.
She also explained that her original dream was to have a run with the MMA Four Horsewomen (Rousey, Shayna Baszler, Marina Shafir, and Jessamyn Duke), but that never happened. She added that she has already achieved everything she wanted in WWE, and none of her friends are there in the company anymore. So, she believes she has no reason to return.
“It was a lot of needless anxiety and things like that. And the whole company was just a chaotic sh*t show on the inside, and then they ended up dropping all my friends.”
“So I really have no reason to go back. I wanted to do a run with the Four Horsewomen, and I never got to do that. And now I feel like I’ve already accomplished everything that I wanted to in WWE, and all that’s really left for me is to go there and have fun with my friends, and none of my friends are there anymore.”
Ronda Rousey has been openly critical of WWE, focusing on issues ranging from backstage chaos and mistreatment of women wrestlers to company leadership and creative decisions. Her frustrations extended to Vince McMahon, whom she accused of indirect, manipulative control, describing his approach as “sheisty carny sh*t.”
[H/T to Yahoo Sports]