Ronda Rousey is back in more ways than one.
Ahead of her highly anticipated MMA comeback on May 16, when she takes on Gina Carano live on Netflix, Rousey made a surprise return to the world of professional wrestling Sunday at AEW’s Revolution event.
Rousey appeared following a match involving AEW star Toni Storm and Rousey’s close friend Marina Shafir. After Storm picked up the win over Shafir, Rousey showed up to spoil Storm’s celebration, leading to an in-ring confrontation that was cut short when Shafir floored Storm with a sneak attack.
Fans greeted Rousey with a mixed reaction, which soon turned to boos when it became clear she was aligned with the villainous Shafir. It’s unclear how much Rousey will be involved in AEW programming ahead of her May fight, and whether the storyline leads to a singles match with Storm, or Rousey pairing up with Shafir in a tag team match involving Storm and another performer.
This isn’t the first time Rousey has made waves in the pro wrestling world. Following her bantamweight championship run in the UFC – which ended with back-to-back losses to Amanda Nunes and Holly Holm – Rousey joined forces with WWE, going on to make history alongside Becky Lynch and Charlotte as the first women ever to headline WrestleMania in 2019. She retired from pro wrestling in 2023 and appeared to be done with combat sports altogether, but now finds herself in high-profile angles in both wrestling and MMA.
When Rousey faces Carano on May 16 in Los Angeles, it will be the first fight in years for both women’s MMA pioneers. Rousey has not fought since December 2016, while Carano makes the walk to the cage for the first time since August 2009.
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