Ronda Rousey has officially made the pro wrestling crossover by signing with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) full time.
The former UFC women's bantamweight champion shocked wrestling fans on Sunday night with a surprise appearance at the first-ever women's Royal Rumble match in Philadelphia, according to The Guardian.
Rousey later told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne that wrestling was her "life now" and a first priority on her timeline for the next few years.
"This is not a smash-and-grab; this is not a publicity stunt," she said. "When I first met with Triple H, I told him, 'There are other things I can do with my time that'll make way more money, but I won't enjoy nearly as much.'"
Rumors began to emerge that Rousey was toying with the idea of pursuing wrestling as her next professional venture last year, after she appeared at a WWE event in September and challenged wrestler Charlotte Flair.
Her last UFC fight took place against current champion Amanda Nunes on Dec. 30, 2016, when Rousey lost in 48 seconds, MMA Junkie noted.
It was a tough loss for the former champ, who joined the UFC in February 2013 and won six consecutive title defenses. Rousey has since been tight lipped about her future plans, never formally announcing her retirement.
Then reports began to emerge about Rousey speaking to WWE executives last year, with UFC president Dana White adding further fuel to the fire by revealing that Rousey was unlikely to return to the octagon, adding that he would not be interested in booking her into another fight, according to MMA Fighting.
Despite this, Rousey has now revealed that the two remain friends and that White had been supportive of her decision from the start.
"I told him that I really want to bring him to a show, so I can show him," she said per MMA Fighting. "It's so different when you're actually there, when you're really experiencing it."
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