All the signs are pointing to Ronda Rousey calling time on her fighting career in the near future.
When Holly Holm landed that seismic head kick that was seen around the world to win the UFC women’s bantamweight title at UFC 193, it was the first time we had proof that Rousey was a mere mortal.
After holding a pristine professional record with a 100% finishing rate before facing the Preacher’s Daughter, it was thought that Rousey may have been invincible in her division. So when she was finally beaten, and beaten violently, the vultures began circling.
She hasn’t competed inside the cage since suffering the defeat, but it was announced last month that she will be returning to the Octagon on New Year’s Eve to try to win her belt back off current champ Amanda Nunes. Although, during a recent interview with Ellen DeGeneres she revealed that she doesn’t plan on sticking around the fight game for too much longer.
.@RondaRousey has a great reason why you should watch this fight. pic.twitter.com/20lu2fYBdW
— Ellen DeGeneres (@EllenDeGeneres) November 1, 2016
UFC president Dana White believes that the MMA superstar will focus more on acting after she calls it quits from MMA. Rousey has already played minor roles in blockbusters such as Fast and Furious 7, Entourage and Expendables 3, and she’s set to play a starring role in the upcoming Roadhouse remake directed by Nick Cassavetes.
However, as we’ve seen so many times before, the transition from athlete to actor can be a thorny one. The work ethic that goes into reaching the zenith of a sport may not necessarily help an athelete hone their abilities in a very different craft which others who have been trying to perfect for a lot longer.
To put it bluntly, you wouldn’t back Daniel Day Lewis to beat Rousey in the Octagon, but by the same token you wouldn’t expect Rowdy to hold her own alongside the multiple Oscar winner in a scene
All’s not lost for Rousey in the entertainment business should her acting career fail though, as there is another viable option readily available. In a way, it would also allow her to flex her acting chops.
The WWE are sniffing about after Rousey’s bombshell on the Ellen Show and Stephanie McMahon told TMZ that she would be interested in signing her after she retires from fighting.
“God, I certainly hope so. I gotta get her back from when she put me in that armbar.”
“I’m certainly going to try (to sign her), I’ll just leave it at that.”
This would seem to be a perfect fit for Rousey, as she has history with the professional wrestling organisation. She featured alongside fellow Fast and Furious star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at WrestleMania 31 as the two took on McMahon and Triple H.
