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WWE WrestleMania 37: Rousey, McGregor and More Surprise Appearances to Watch for
March 21, 2021
WrestleMania 37 is sure to generate plenty of interest because of its enormity and the return of fans at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, but WWE can get people talking even more with some surprise appearances at The Showcase of the Immortals.
The company already figures to garner a great deal of mainstream attention, especially with Grammy-winning rapper Bad Bunny likely to have a match at the marquee pay-per-view on April 10-11, and getting another crossover star into the mix would take things to the next level.
Since WrestleMania already looks to be stacked with star power, WWE can afford to keep some secrets and organically pop the crowd with unadvertised guests.
With the event on the horizon, here is a rundown of a few surprise additions who could move the needle for WWE if they appear on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
Ronda Rousey
It has been nearly two years since Ronda Rousey last appeared on WWE programming, and her absence has undoubtedly left a void in the women's division.
The 34-year-old spent a year in WWE as an active wrestler and quickly moved up the ranks during that time, winning the Raw Women's Championship in one of her first matches.
The former UFC star had no shortage of entertaining matches and rivalries en route to WrestleMania 35, where she put the title on the line in a Triple Threat match against Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair. She lost to The Man but helped make history as part of the first women's match to main-event The Show of Shows.
While the likes of Sasha Banks, Bayley, Bianca Belair, Flair, Asuka and others have done a great job carrying the torch for women's wrestling in WWE during Rousey's absence, her star power is very much missed, especially now that Lynch has been out of the picture for almost a year because of pregnancy and maternity leave.
Mike Johnson of PWInsider reported last year that Rousey's WWE contract was set to expire April 10, which is the date of the first night of WrestleMania 37.
That could mean an appearance is out of the question for Rousey, although it is possible she and WWE quietly came to terms on an extension and simply chose to keep it quiet in order to ensure her return remains a surprise.
If Rousey is still in the picture, appearing after the SmackDown Women's Championship match between Banks and Belair or perhaps even a potential Raw women's title match between Asuka and Flair would make plenty of sense.
It would be an unexpected and effective way to reintroduce her into the limelight, and there is no question that it would get both wrestling and MMA fans talking.
Rousey has helped WWE gain mainstream attention ever since she first appeared back at WrestleMania 31, and showing up at WrestleMania 37 in surprise fashion would be a massive deal for the company.
Conor McGregor
UFC star Conor McGregor has never stepped foot inside a WWE ring, but he has long been considered a natural for the sport of professional wrestling.
The Irishman already has the combat aspect down pat as one of the most successful and popular fighters in MMA history, but he also has the gift of gab and a penchant for showmanship, which are musts in the world of WWE.
It is unclear if McGregor has interest in an eventual WWE career, as he has spoken both positively and negatively about WWE and pro wrestling as a whole in the past.
Last year, the 32-year-old posted a photo on his Instagram story of himself holding both a UFC and WWE Championship with the caption: "McMahon vs. McGregor CEO Flashmatch," in reference to WWE CEO Vince McMahon.
He also said in an interview that he stole McMahon's strut, adding: "I'm thinking Vince McMahon must be pissed. But, I don't give a f--k about Vince McMahon! I stole that walk and that walk is now mine! And not Vince, or any of those p---ies over in the WWE will do anything about it! That's my walk. I created that walk. I made that walk."
Also, in an interview with Mike Bohn of Rolling Stone in 2016, McGregor called WWE Superstars: "Messed up p---ies."
More recently, he responded positively to a tweet from NXT champion and countryman Finn Balor showing action figures of McGregor, Balor and Triple H:
The Game then suggested WWE is ready to welcome McGregor whenever he decides to make the leap:
For now, Notorious is focused on UFC, although he has retired and then come out of retirement on multiple occasions already, meaning nothing is set in stone.
Also, McGregor is coming off a surprising loss to Dustin Poirier in his last fight, so perhaps he would be more willing to make the move to WWE now, much like Rousey after she lost her last two UFC fights.
It would be a major shock for McGregor to show up at WrestleMania 37, but it would make WWE a lead story both inside and outside the wrestling world.
Brock Lesnar
Like Rousey and McGregor, Brock Lesnar has a UFC background, but unlike them, he is best known for his time in WWE.
The Beast Incarnate is one of the most dominant forces the company has seen, but he has not appeared on WWE programming since losing the WWE Championship to Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 36 last year.
PWInsider.com's Mike Johnson reported last year that Lesnar's WWE contract expired, meaning he was a free agent with no guarantees that the 43-year-old would return.
WWE hasn't referenced Lesnar much over the past year, but that has changed recently. Over the past couple of weeks, McIntyre has said on multiple occasions that he beat The Beast in five minutes at WrestleMania 36, which could be a harbinger of things to come.
McIntyre is currently scheduled to face Bobby Lashley for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 37 in a singles match, but perhaps Lesnar will make his presence felt before then and turn it into a Triple Threat.
If not, the ideal use of The Beast would be for him to appear after the WrestleMania match between McIntyre and Lashley and take them both out to set up a Triple Threat for a future pay-per-view.
Wrestling fans seem to have mixed emotions about Lesnar, but his talent and star power cannot be denied, which is why WWE will continue to bring him back if it has the opportunity.
McIntyre vs. Lashley has the makings of a great, hard-hitting match, but it doesn't feel fresh since they already feuded less than a year ago.
However, pushing The Beast into that angle would open up a world of possibilities and potentially set the stage for the Lesnar vs. Lashley singles match that fans have long clamored for.
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