Ronda Rousey may finally be ready to test out a new career in professional wrestling.
The former UFC women’s bantamweight champion is nearing a deal to make several appearances for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) with the expectation that she would perform on some of the company’s biggest shows of the year.
Sources close to the situation confirmed on Wednesday that Rousey has engaged in numerous conversations with WWE about joining the promotion but no contracts have been signed at this time. News of Rousey’s move to WWE was first reported by USA Today on Wednesday.
According to the sources speaking on the basis of anonymity, if a deal is finalized, Rousey would be expected to appear at some of the big WWE cards over the course of the next year including a possible spot at WrestleMania 34, which is being held on April 8 next year.
By all accounts, Rousey’s move to WWE wouldn’t necessarily be full time because she’s currently in production on her next film role in the movie “Mile 22” where she will star alongside Mark Wahlberg, John Malkovich and “Walking Dead” star Lauren Cohan.
Production on “Mile 22” is expected to run until at least February with filming taking place in Atlanta.
Rousey has previously appeared on WWE programming when she got involved in a spot during WrestleMania 31 where she tussled with Stephanie McMahon, who is an executive with WWE as well as a part time performer.
Rousey was also shown on screen a few months ago during the “Mae Young Classic” where her friend and fellow UFC veteran Shayna Baszler was competing in a tournament amongst several women’s wrestlers vying for a shot in WWE.
At that time, Rousey staged an “altercation” with WWE superstars Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Bayley while standing alongside her real life friends Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir.
Speculation ran wild about Rousey’s eventual move to WWE after that incident but until now there’s been no solid information that she was actually considering a career in professional wrestling.
This latest move — if finalized — could see Rousey make several appearances in WWE programming in 2018 with the possibility that she could always extend or expand that deal in the future.
Rousey hasn’t fought in the UFC since last December when she was blanked by current UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes with a 48-second TKO in the first round. Since that time, Rousey hasn’t addressed her fighting future but by all accounts, she hasn’t considered a return to action.
