All Signs Point to a Ronda Rousey WrestleMania Feud with Stephanie McMahon

Ronda Rousey surprisingly appeared at the WWE Royal Rumble Sunday—not as an entrant but rather as a post-match bonus.

An attempt to shake hands with Asuka was rebuffed by the women's Royal Rumble winner, but Rousey was able to share a tense handshake with WWE chief brand officer Stephanie McMahon. 

These handshake attempts might as well have been agreements to face off at WrestleMania. And in what could be a symbol of things to come, a Rousey-McMahon feud carries much more intrigue than one between Rousey and Asuka. 

Yes, Rousey and Asuka draw parallels as seemingly unstoppable (or, in the case of Rousey, formerly unstoppable) female combatants who share the same finisher. But any rivalry between the two is limited past these shallow similarities.

With Rousey signing a full-time contract with WWE, per Ramona Shelburne of ESPN (h/t Timothy Fiorvanti), there will be plenty of time to build toward what would be an exciting feud against WWE's premier female performer.

But Stephanie McMahon vs. Ronda Rousey has WrestleMania written all over it.

Not only could Rousey and McMahon tell a story of WWE vs. UFC, but their potential feud dates back to WrestleMania 31, where the former UFC women's bantamweight champion appeared in a memorable segment with The Rock opposite McMahon and Triple H.  

After a brief scuffle, McMahon was able to escape without being caught in an armbar, and the scene seemed to spell the best was yet to come. 

As an outsider vying for a world championship in the fickle confines of WWE, fans will have no problem turning on Rousey, especially in a feud with babyfaces such as Asuka and Charlotte Flair, or even a heel who draws cheers like Alexa Bliss.

McMahon is quite possibly the best heel in the company, and if she were paired with Rousey for her first feud in WWE—especially at WrestleMania—the former UFC superstar would get off on the right foot with a warm greeting from the WWE Universe. 

Alfred Konuwa is a featured columnist and on-air host for Bleacher Report and Forbes. Like him on Facebook.