Ronda Rousey returned to professional wrestling on Sunday at AEW Revolution. This comes ahead of her MMA fight against Gina Carano, scheduled for May 16 in Los Angeles and streaming live on Netflix.
Rousey appeared after a match between Toni Storm and Rousey’s close friend Marina Shafir. Storm won the match and began celebrating, but Rousey interrupted, leading to a brief in-ring confrontation. Shafir then took Storm down with a surprise attack.
Fans were initially mixed in their reactions, which turned into boos when it was clear Rousey was siding with Shafir. It is unknown how long Rousey will be involved in AEW storylines before her MMA fight. She might face Storm in a singles match or team with Shafir in a tag team contest.
Rousey is no stranger to professional wrestling. After her UFC bantamweight title run, which ended with losses to Amanda Nunes and Holly Holm, she joined WWE.
In 2019, Rousey made history by headlining WrestleMania with Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair, the first women to do so. She retired from pro wrestling in 2023 but is now back in high-profile roles in both MMA and wrestling.
Rousey’s fight with Gina Carano will be the first MMA bout for either fighter in years. Rousey has not fought since December 2016, while Carano has not competed since August 2009.
This fight will reunite two pioneers of women’s MMA, drawing major attention from fans and media alike. Rousey’s involvement in AEW adds to the excitement as she juggles high-profile appearances in both wrestling and MMA.
