Report – Ronda Rousey expected to leave WWE soon amid links to potential UFC return: ‘She gave a date’
In the wake of rumors linking her with a potential return to mixed martial arts, former undisputed UFC bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey has reportedly informed the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) of her intention to leave the professional wrestling organization before April of next year.
Rousey, a former undisputed Strikeforce bantamweight champion and inaugural UFC bantamweight gold holder, most recently competed in combat sports back in December 2016, headlining UFC 207.
Seeing her professional record slump to 12-2 that night, Ronda Rousey suffered a brutal first round TKO loss to the recently retired, Amanda Nunes, in an unsuccessful bantamweight title challenge.
Rousey had previously suffered a thunderous second round high kick KO loss to Holly Holm the year prior, dropping her undisputed bantamweight crown to boot.
And following the retirement of former two-weight champion, Nunes following her title defense against Irene Aldana at UFC 289 last month, Rousey has been linked with a potential return to the UFC, in pursuit of a vacant bantamweight title fight with former champion, Julianna Peña.
Furthermore, the Riverside native was urged to pursue a move to the featherweight division in a potential return to the organization – in a bid to save the doomed weight class.
Ronda Rousey informs WWE of departure date from organization
And in the midst of speculation regarding a return to the UFC, Rousey has reportedly informed the WWE of her intention to leave the organization in the near future – adding fuel to the proverbial fire.
“This was always, always, always the plan,” Wrestling Observer Radio reporter, Dave Meltzer said. “It kept getting delayed and then Ronda (Rousey) got hurt and the thing was – and I don’t know the date, and it might be SummerSlam, it might be a little bit after – the deal is that Ronda has a hard out. She gave a date. ‘This is my last date.’ ‘Cause I remember talking to somebody there and it’s like, ‘I know they’re going to do this, and I guess, make the big match for WrestleMania.’ And it’s like, ‘No, her hard out is…’ – they didn’t give me the date but it’s long before WrestleMania.”
Enjoying a 12-fight undefeated run before her loss to Holm back in 2015, Ronda Rousey had landed consecutive successful UFC bantamweight title defenses against Liz Carmouche, Miesha Tate, Sara McMann, Alexis Davis, Cat Zingano, and Bethe Correia.
