Shayna Baszler On Ronda Rousey’s Post-WWE Matches: It Was About Working With Marina Shafir

Shayna Baszler shares her thoughts on Ronda Rousey wrestling outside of WWE.

Former SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey wrapped up with WWE following SummerSlam 2023, where she lost to Shayna Baszler in an MMA Rules match. Rousey then made a surprise appearance at the Lucha VaVoom event on October 26, where she teamed up with her friend Marina Shafir. The duo also joined forces to face Athena and Billie Starkz at REVOLVER Unreal, and they had a rematch at the ROH television taping on November 17.

Speaking with Denise Salcedo at the media event ahead of WWE Royal Rumble, Shayna Baszler, Rouseys long-time friend, was asked about Ronda Rousey competing elsewhere following her WWE exit. She emphasized that the matches were about working with Marina Shafir and being a good friend.

“One thing, love or hate Ronda, as a person who knows her probably more than anyone, besides her husband, one thing she is, she is very loyal to her friends. She will do anything for them, and we started this pro wrestling journey together, all four of us, and so I know she wants to take some time off, she doesn’t know if she’s gonna wrestle again. But before all that is completely door shut, I know she wanted to just have a match with Marina. As far as where that happened and how it took place, it wasn’t the where. It was just the match with Marina. Being that Marina’s been very successful on her own, it had to take place on only these venues, but that was really what it was about. I don’t think Ronda too much cares about whether it’s indie or not indie or what show. She just wanted to have a match with her friends. So that’s what that was. That was Ronda being the friend she is,” Shayna Baszler said.

Ronda Rousey previously said she was not signing with AEW, as she was trying to be a full-time mom. Check out her comments here.