Ronda Rousey is effectively done with professional wrestling, telling Fox News Digital that even a part-time pro wrestling schedule is “just not doable” anymore, given her family situation, despite having an open invitation from Tony Khan to appear in AEW.
The topic came up after Rousey told Up & Adams this week that she does not have any plans for a pro wrestling return despite Khan’s standing AEW invitation. Rousey expanded on the position in the subsequent Fox News Digital interview, walking through the family-side reasoning that has shaped her current position.
“I think, just, we’re trying to have another kid now and all this stuff. That lifestyle, being on the road and wrestling, it’s just not conducive at all to having multiple kids. We were able to make it work for a little while. It’s just not doable anymore.”
She left the door open for limited local appearances.
“I could be open to doing some things if it works out and it’s local. We’re looking to move to Hawaii, and it would be kinda cool to open a little school.”
Rousey made a surprise appearance at AEW Revolution in Los Angeles in March, taking part in an angle with friend Marina Shafir and Toni Storm. The appearance gave Rousey the platform to promote her then-upcoming MMA return, with the timing aligning with her broader fight camp preparation rather than any pro wrestling return plans.
“I didn’t get to do anything at all because I was in training camp and all these people were like, ‘Oh, is Ronda gonna do a match?’ I’m like, I’m in training camp. You guys are crazy. I’m not going to be doing any matches while in training camp. I love Toni Storm, I love Marina, and it was fun to be there for Marina’s first pay-per-view match as well. I didn’t want to take away from their moment but maybe put a little bit of a spotlight on it and a little bit of a nudge to my upcoming fight.”
Rousey’s May 16 MMA fight against Gina Carano was a successful one, with Rousey saying she is once again retired from MMA following the bout. The Carano fight was billed as a one-off return rather than a full MMA comeback, with Rousey now framing her MMA career as over.
Khan has been clear about his interest in working with Rousey on AEW programming, and the AEW women’s division could benefit from a Rousey appearance.
She won the Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 34 in her in-ring debut and held multiple WWE titles across her main roster run. She left WWE in 2023 after a sustained period of frustration with the company’s creative direction, and her departure was one of the most publicized wrestler exits of recent years.
