Ronda Rousey could be due for a fresh start.
The MMA queen was obliterated by Amanda Nunes at UFC 207, more than a year after being blasted out of the Octagon by Holly Holm.
Rousey fell to the Brazilian powerhouse’s hefty strikes in 48 seconds, folding to a TKO and disappointing fans who had waited months for her return to the UFC. Her lackluster performance left many divided, and Nunes said the former UFC champion was finished.
“That’s it for her,” Nunes said after the fight.
“For sure, she’s going to retire. She can’t take it anymore. If she wants the rematch, I’m going to do the same thing, because she can’t take my punches.”
Despite suffering heavy losses, Rousey’s marketability in the fighting world is undeniable, raking in huge pay-per-view numbers in all of her UFC bouts. But is it time for the 29-year-old to bow out of the promotion?
Former WWE commentator and executive Jim Ross sure thinks so, saying her devastating loss to Nunes in December will have no impact on her popularity on the wrestling circuit.
“Ronda is a star of a major magnitude with immediate name identity. Her image, her marketing image, that has been perpetuated with a lot of wins, obviously, is a global recognition,” Ross said, per Yahoo Sports.
“Their network, it’s all about getting people to sample the WWE Network. Ronda Rousey, in a provocative, nicely arced story, can still do that.”
In regards to her hypothetical pay packet, Ross thinks Rousey could pull in an astronomical amount from starring in the WWE.
“I would be extremely shocked if she didn’t earn seven-figures-plus,” Ross said.
Ross believes the former UFC champ’s move to WWE could seriously aid her reputation after her two horror losses.
“I say this without any trepidation: If she was cast at WrestleMania in a favorable light, it would also be helpful for her in building her brand,” Ross said. “She portrays a strong female, and I can’t see her coming away from the WrestleMania experience, which creates millions upon millions of images, being perceived as anything but what she set out to be, which is a strong female. It’s part of her brand-building. It would be a real good promotional tool for her as well.”
Ross said Rousey’s international image would work well for the WWE, and he assured her that recent disappointments in the Octagon won’t affect her success on the wrestling circuit.
“I haven’t even talked about her win-loss record or her last two fights because it doesn’t matter,” he said.
“I can tell you this: She is a very big star and the average Joe out there will recognize her. If you ask, ‘Do you know who Ronda Rousey is?’, I’ll bet he says, ‘Yes, of course.’ If you ask what her record is, he’ll say, ‘No, but I know she lost her last fight,’ but that’s it. The losses in the Octagon are really irrelevant in terms of what she’d want to do in the WWE and what they’d want from her.”
Rousey, who is taking time off after UFC 207, declined to promote her comeback bout, and she refused to discuss her loss with fans or reporters after making a guaranteed $3 million along with undisclosed millions in bonuses and pay-per-view revenue from the UFC’s year-end show.
She did, however, issue a statement to ESPN: “Returning to not just fighting, but winning, was my entire focus this past year. I need to take some time to reflect and think about the future. Thank you for believing in me and understanding.”
Nunes acknowledged feeling sorry for Rousey after landing 27 punches on the former champion in just 48 seconds.
She believes the cumulative stress of Rousey’s first loss, her acting career and numerous outside-the-cage responsibilities combined to “pressure her too much.” Nunes spoke directly to a bloodied Rousey in the cage after the loss.
“I told her, ‘You did a lot for this sport. Thank you so much. Now, take some time to rest and maybe do something else,”’ Nunes said.
“Why should she keep doing this? She’s a millionaire already. Why would she want to keep doing this? She’ll hurt herself.”