Ronda Rousey has not been seen inside the squared circle since she announced a hiatus after WrestleMania 35 in April. The former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women’s bantamweight champion’s last match in pro-wrestling was the triple-threat match involving Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair.

The UFC Hall of Famer decided to take a sabbatical in order to start a family with husband Travis Browne labeling it an “impregnation vacation”. But the doors of WWE are always open for Rousey, who is said to be contracted to the promotion until 2020.

WWE insider Brad Shepard is now claiming many people connected with the promotion believe Rousey will return to the ring “very soon”. The former UFC champion is due a rematch when she returns as her last match was when she surrendered her WWE Raw women’s title to Lynch, who is still the champion.

Ronda Rousey
Ronda Rousey holds a trophy onstage after becoming the first female inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame at The Pearl concert theater at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, July 5, 2018. Ethan Miller/Getty Images

“I asked a source in WWE about Ronda Rousey potentially returning to the company. I was told very soon, and 'imminent' is probably an appropriate word for it,” Shepard wrote.

The insider’s claim comes just a couple of weeks after Rousey released a video showing how much she misses pro-wrestling. She was seen pummeling a Hulk Hogan doll, while also practicing her entrance in the shower. D-Von Dudley was also part of the video as she attempted to put husband Browne through a table while standing atop a ladder.

Ringside News claims that Rousey's return could be beneficial for the WWE as the promotion is suffering a serious loss in viewership in recent months. The former UFC champion is certain to bring more attention to the live and televised WWE events.

The next big pay-per-view event is SummerSlam, which is second in terms of popularity to only WrestleMania, and that could be a perfect platform for Rousey to make her in-ring return. Pro wrestling expert Tom Colohue corroborated the reports about Rousey’s potential return sooner rather than later and believes one of the reasons could be Paul Heyman's recent appointment as executive director of Monday Night Raw.

RELATED STORIES