Burning Questions to Address After Bombshell Ronda Rousey WWE Rumor

The wrestling world was stunned Thursday when Dave Meltzer reported in his Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Ronda Rousey would be finishing up with WWE after WrestleMania 35, then turning her attention to starting a family with her husband, UFC competitor Travis Browne.

Later in the day, TMZ Sports reported that Rousey was not going anywhere, that she was contracted until April 2021 and that any departure would be more of a break than anything.

Either way, it appears as though WWE is going to be without its biggest star for some stretch of time, creating these burning questions in the wake of the blockbuster report

1. Who Will Take Rousey's Place as the Face of Raw's Women's Division?

Since arriving in WWE in January 2018, Ronda Rousey has been positioned as the face of women's wrestling on Raw. She has beaten everyone from Alexa Bliss to Nia Jax, Natalya to Ruby Riott, ensuring the WWE Universe knows without a shadow of doubt that she is the top star in the flagship's women's division.

If Dave Meltzer's report proves the more accurate of the two and Rousey is, in fact, finishing up with WWE, the company is left with the unenviable task of rebuilding its division and positioning someone to be its top star.

Sasha Banks would be the obvious choice, given her history in high-profile bouts. That she is being heated up just as Rousey's break/departure nears is an indication that WWE Creative may recognize as much. Her tag team partner Bayley is another solid option, but she feels too much like a sidekick after years of being treated as secondary.

Then there is Alexa Bliss, who was the centerpiece of the division before Rousey arrived. She has the experience to fill that role.

Maybe WWE calls up an NXT talent such as Shayna Baszler.

The Queen of Spades would be a logical choice to replace her real-life bestie and continue the routine of legitimate badassery on Monday nights.

Whatever the case may be, even if Rousey steps away for a bit and comes back later, WWE Creative is going to have to anoint someone to take over as the focal point of the division in her absence. There are options and while none are quite as strongly booked as Rousey, they can carry the division in her absence.

The arrival of the Women's Tag Team Championships could help matters.

2. What Are FOX and USA Networks' Reaction to Rousey's Absence?

WWE scored record television deals from FOX and USA Network this past summer, partly because content is king and the company produces a ton of it, but also in part because it has a history of attracting high-profile names like Ronda Rousey.

The UFC Hall of Famer was undoubtedly an attractive piece of the WWE package.

If she leaves, or even takes a lengthy break and does not appear on Raw or SmackDown Live, the relationship between WWE and its television partners may get off to a rough start. Especially if deals were made with the expectation that the current Raw women's champion would be prominently featured.

WWE has its money, SmackDown's move to FOX will happen and Raw will continue to call USA home, but one has to wonder if future negotiations or significant decisions will be adversely affected by the loss of a household name like Rousey.

If, that is, she actually is leaving the company for any lengthy stretch of time.

3. If She Stays, Will Rousey Remain a Full-Time Member of the Raw Roster?

Rousey has silenced critics by appearing on nearly every episode of WWE Raw since her arrival in the company a year ago. She has not taken the part-time approach, treating every week's show like it is important by showing up and even competing more often than one would expect someone of her star.

If Rousey does stick around but takes a leave of absence to start a family with husband Travis Browne, the question becomes whether she remains a full-time member of the company's roster or if she becomes the female equivalent to John Cena, The Rock and The Undertaker by appearing only at the most significant shows, whenever her schedule allows for it.

On one hand, that makes every one of her appearances feel more special. Matches at SummerSlam, Survivor Series, Royal Rumble and WrestleMania would carry more meaning and be even more anticipated than her bouts currently are.

On the other, it creates a massive void for the creative team to fill and no one of comparable star power to do it at this time.

With Roman Reigns already out and injuries affecting stars such as Braun Strowman, a potential Rousey absence/departure should have WWE Creative very concerned about its depth of genuine stars.

4. Can WWE Creative Sustain the Prominence of Women's Wrestling Without Rousey?

The Women's Revolution existed before Ronda Rousey, for sure, but her arrival has elevated to new levels. She routinely headlines Raw, fighting and appearing in promo segments in the night's final segment. She stepped in and seized an opportunity to carry women's wrestling to new heights and she has done just that.

Yes, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair are red hot right now and more-than-capable of stealing the show. They can be the faces of women's wrestling and continue its upward trajectory but without Rousey, can they really take it to a new level?

Do they have the star power, or even a consistent creative team behind them, to ensure the continued growth of the division?

For all of the harsh (and deserved) criticism the writing team finds itself on the receiving end of, it has done a masterful job of utilizing Rousey to her strengths and creating matches and stories fans actually care about. Would it be so inclined to continue pumping out that quality of story, feud and television for someone that is not her?

It is a fair question given the inconsistencies within the division before her arrival.