Ronda Rousey Rumors: WWE 'Pushing' for Star to Return at 2022 Royal Rumble

Ronda Rousey reportedly could be making her return to the WWE as soon as this weekend.

According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, WWE is "pushing" for Rousey to return at Saturday's Royal Rumble pay-per-view. The report stated that it's a "poorly kept secret" that the former Raw women's champion is expected to be back with the company (h/t Inside the Ropes). Rousey hasn't wrestled since WrestleMania 35 in April 2019.

Sapp added that Rousey has resumed her in-ring training and it appears to be a matter of "when and not if" she will be back with WWE. She had initially stepped away to start a family with her husband Travis Browne. She gave birth to their daughter in September.

Rousey has prior history with the Royal Rumble, as she made a surprise appearance at the 2018 event. At the time, it was reported that she had signed a full-time contract with WWE, and she made her in-ring debut at WrestleMania 34.

The former UFC champion was quickly pushed to the top of the women's division, as she won the Raw women's title at SummerSlam 2018 and held it for 231 days until her final match. 

Despite her limited time in WWE, Rousey shared the ring with some of the best women's wrestlers in the company. She headlined the first and only all-women's pay-per-view Evolution against Nikki Bella in 2018. She had successful title defenses against Sasha Banks, Bayley, Natalya, Nia Jax and Mickie James.

Rousey's last appearance in WWE was a triple threat match against Becky Lynch and SmackDown women's champion Charlotte Flair. It was the first women's match to ever main-event a WrestleMania. Lynch won the match to earn both the Raw and SmackDown title belts.

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