There was a previous rumor that Ronda Rousey was planning to leave WWE after WrestleMania 35, but that was quickly disputed by WWE and others, because her contract reportedly lasts through 2021. However, she’s still expected to take a hiatus at some point before long, probably to start a family, as she has spoken about in the past. Here’s what Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer recently had to say (transcript via 411Mania):
Even now there is no firm date on Ronda leaving. I mean it’s inevitable, but it’s not, “Is it SummerSlam?” It’s up to her. It’s 100% up to her. I mean Vince has input. Vince can beg her for another month, and I’m sure she will probably do the other month. They’re on good terms. This isn’t like Brock where he’s calling his shots completely, and you know showing his power and Vince just acquiesces to everything he wants. With Ronda, Ronda’s a team player. 100% a team player.
So with Ronda leaving at her leisure, at least for a while, where does that leave WWE’s women’s singles title scene? According to Meltzer, the word backstage is that three women will be pushed as the big stars of the women’s division: Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, and Lacey Evans. We reported already on talk of Lacey Evans being pushed as a star, but Meltzer also offered an explanation on why WWE is so excited about her (transcript via Ringside News):
They see her as someone they can promote mainstream because of what she’s done in life being a mother all the different things in her background. They just see her as a big-time star, a big-time crossover star. So she’s gonna be you know, she’s the Roman Reigns in a lot of ways […] I mean that’s the goal.
Presumably the main thing in her background that Dave is referring to is her military service, which does make sense within the WWE brand. It seems a little strange to build big plans around somebody who got called up from NXT before even reaching the top, and hasn’t done much of anything on the main roster yet, especially with all the other more experienced women on the roster, but we’ll see how things go. Meltzer is careful to add “she may not make it, but that’s where they see things.”
