It's been more than two years since Ronda Rousey appeared in a WWE ring and at present, it's unclear if she will ever return.
The former RAW Women's Champion was contracted to the company from April 2018 up until April 2021. Recent rumors suggest that her contract may have been frozen for a future return.
That being said, Rousey recently gave birth to her first child and appears to be enjoying life with the newborn, with no plans to leave Browsey Acres. WWE has also moved forward without the former UFC Champion and it could be argued that the company is in a much better place without Rousey.
The following are just five reasons why WWE doesn't need Ronda Rousey to make her return.
#5. Ronda Rousey took screen time away from the women who worked their way up through WWE
I’ve seen you same “fans” chanting #WeWantWyatt last night chanting “We want beach balls” over @WWEBrayWyatt performing. If the @wwe treated him like he was expendable it was because you ungrateful idiots did first
— Ronda Rousey (@RondaRousey) August 3, 2021
WWE has been forced to release several female wrestlers over the past year, which has left them with a much smaller women's division.
The women who are left are now being given more opportunities in the company and Liv Morgan has been handed a shot at the RAW Women's Championship. The former NXT Superstar has been pushing for this opportunity for several years and if Rousey was still part of the company, it may have never happened.
WWE needed Rousey to be at the top of the women's division the whole time she was there. It meant that other women didn't get a look in and were turned into jobbers.
👀😂 Ronda Rousey slammed Triple H through a table & caught a slap from Stephanie McMahon in her WWE debut (via @wwe) pic.twitter.com/B3Mw5i5nx9
— Fanatics View (@fanaticsview) February 26, 2018
There are women in the company at present who have worked their way up through the company from the Performance Center and deserve the chance to wrestle on TV.
The Baddest Woman on the Planet took the spotlight away from the women following the first-ever Women's Royal Rumble match in 2018. She then went on to dominate the headlines in the months that followed.
Wherever Rousey goes, she seems to be the center of attraction and rightfully so. However, there are so many more women in the company who deserve to be given those opportunities as well.
#4. Ronda Rousey is over the age of 25 so WWE may not be interested in bringing her back
A recent batch of WWE releases saw the likes of Mickie James and Mercedes Martinez ushered out the door because of their age. The new mandate reportedly only wants women who are younger than 25 so that WWE can concentrate on making the stars of the future.
Rousey is already a household name and doesn't need the WWE exposure to take her stock up at this moment in time. There are many women in WWE who are looking to build on what they have been handed by the company and become the next big star.
WWE has created several superstars like Alexa Bliss, Carmella, and Mandy Rose in their Performance Center. There could be many more thanks to their new NIL Program.
WWE has two decent champions on both main roster brands at the moment and while there are several challengers who will surface in the new year, there is nowhere for Rousey to fit back into the company at present.
#3. Ronda Rousey would want to return to WWE as a part-time Superstar if she came back
I still want Becky Lynch Vs Ronda Rousey in a singles match.
— Just Talk Wrestling (@JustTalkWrestle) January 28, 2021
No Charlotte.
No third competitor.
No daft stipulations.
Just these two in the ring giving us one hell of a match 👏 pic.twitter.com/SZOSFeGWYo
WWE has had an issue over the past few decades which sees them structure much of their content around part-time superstars like Ronda Rousey. At present, the company is building towards what is considered to be one of the biggest matches of this generation and it contains a part-time star.
WWE isn't going to make stars like The Rock or John Cena again if they are not willing to give their talented roster a chance at that very stardom.
We need Ronda Rousey the real Champion 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻 pic.twitter.com/up2RCYgc9y
— NASA girl (@VictoriaWinst20) December 8, 2021
The Performance Center was created in order to mold future superstars. Whilst there have been several decent prospects, WWE still grabs the phone and calls Goldberg in times of need.
The Women's Division has Becky Lynch, Asuka, Bayley, Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, and Bianca Belair. All of these women have the potential to be the biggest stars in the company if given the chance.
Relying on part-time stars doesn't only devalue the talents on the roster who work hard every day of the year, but it also leaves these women to pick up the pieces when the star decides to head back home.
#2. The WWE Women's Division is much more competitive without Ronda Rousey
Wanna know what happened after #RAW went Off-Air? We've got you covered! Follow the Link and watch this WWE Exclusive Clip of The Riott Squad's showdown with The Man and Ronda Rousey: https://t.co/msGTuSmERP pic.twitter.com/GsBprVV0QF
— LIV MORGAN FANSITE (@LivMorganCOM) February 13, 2019
Ronda Rousey came to WWE with the tag of being the Baddest Woman on the Planet. This alone meant that the company was already booked into a corner. Rousey was only ever pinned by Becky Lynch in her wrestling career.
In that time, several women were forced to job out to her. Given that she was once a champion in the UFC, this did make sense. But it also meant that many women were buried throughout her tenure.
And coming to the aide of @RondaRousey is Natal-OH MY GOD, IT'S THE RIOTT SQUAD! #RAW @RubyRiottWWE @YaOnlyLivvOnce @sarahloganwwe pic.twitter.com/BP2TAPZmot
— WWE (@WWE) November 27, 2018
If Rousey made her return she would be pushed as an unbeatable force once again and many women would suffer after the division was only recently able to find its feet.
The Riott Squad was one of the main teams that were buried throughout Rousey's tenure and with only Liv Morgan remaining in the company, she has finally managed to push herself forward.
There are enough women in WWE at present for the company to build compelling storylines based on their ability rather than their star power.
#1. WWE probably can't afford to bring Ronda Rousey back at this point
Given the fact that WWE has released almost 200 superstars over the past two years, it's hard to believe that this isn't the case. Ronda Rousey can't be a cheap star to acquire and it would be harsh for the company to re-sign the star when so many have already lost their jobs this year.
It was revealed that many of these releases were due to budget cuts, so WWE should probably refrain from signing any new stars at present.
gigi giving me ronda rousey vibes #WWE #NXTWarGames pic.twitter.com/lH1Suzsb84
— D🔮 (@sparklysodas) December 6, 2021
It was reported by Dave Meltzer that WWE had frozen Rousey's contract so that she could return to the company at a later date so it's unclear if that means that she would earn the same amount upon return.
Rousey recently had a child and made it clear that she is going to relish the time she gets to spend with her daughter. WWE doesn't need Ronda Rousey at present, and she seems to be enjoying her time away from the squared circle.