by Dane McGuire
UFC Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey returned to WWE, winning the women’s Royal Rumble match during the pay-per-view in St. Louis January 29.
The former UFC women’s bantamweight champion will now be part of one of the main event matches at WrestleMania 38 April 3 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Rousey had not performed for WWE since headlining WrestleMania 35. January 20 Rousey won the women’s rumble match by eliminating the daughter of legend Ric Flair, Charlotte Flair.
Flair, Rousey, and Becky Lynch’s triple threat match at WrestleMania 35 marked the first time in WWE history a women’s match ended the show.
Lynch pinned Rousey to her her reign as Raw Wmen’s Champion at 231 days, the longest reign until it was surpassed by Lynch.
After the match, Rousey left WWE to start a family with UFC heavyweight Travis Browne.
Rousey announced in April that she was expecting her first baby with Browne, whom she married in 2017.
She gave birth to her daughter, La’akea Makalapuaokalanipõ Browne, in September.
During her time in the UFC, Rousey had six consecutive title defenses, being the first female champion in the promotion’s history.
While Rousey never officially announced her retirement from mixed martial arts but transitioned to pro wrestling/sports entertainment after consecutive losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes.
Rousey was stopped by KO/TKO on both occasions. She also had the longest title fight finish streak in UFC history (6), the fastest women’s title fight victory in UFC history (fourteen seconds; vs Cat Zingano) and the consecutive armbar finishes in UFC/WEC/Pride/Strikeforce history (8).
Rousy was then inducted in the UFC Hall of Fame in 2018, making history once more by becoming the first female inductee.