5 possible directions for Ronda Rousey following WWE Crown Jewel 2022
WWE Crown Jewel 2022 featured two epic championship bouts featuring some of the best female superstars in the company. Bianca Belair and Bayley had a Last Woman Standing match that many felt stole the show. Alexa Bliss & Asuka battled Dakota Kai & IYO SKY in a bout that exceeded expectations.
Despite two fantastic bouts, fans noticed SmackDown Women's Champion Ronda Rousey did not appear at the event, although she has been on Friday Night SmackDown lately.
Not every champion competes at every single Premium Live Event, so her absence isn't shocking. Still, many are curious about her direction coming out of WWE Crown Jewel 2022 and looking ahead to Survivor Series WarGames. Will Rousey have a new challenger? Could she pursue another title?
Below are five possible directions for Ronda Rousey following WWE Crown Jewel 2022.
#5. She and Shayna Baszler could form a stable following the WWE Crown Jewel 2022 to combat Damage CTRL
Damage CTRL had an up-and-down night at WWE Crown Jewel 2022. While Bayley was unsuccessful in her attempt to win the RAW Women's Championship, IYO SKY and Dakota Kai regained the Women's Tag Team Titles.
If The Baddest Woman on the Planet and Shayna Baszler want to follow the trend and form a stable, there are a handful of intriguing possibilities. Xia Li is a talented striker who may fit in with both stars. Sonya Deville is a former MMA fighter who could also be a good match. Plus, WWE could potentially rehire Jessamyn Duke, a fellow Horsewoman of MMA.
Shayna Baszler and Ronda Rousey already pose the biggest threat to the women's division outside Damage CTRL. If the group adds more members to its ranks, even Bayley, IYO, and Kai will likely have no chance of stopping them.
#4. Ronda Rousey could feud with Natalya over the SmackDown Women's Championship
Natalya and Ronda Rousey appear to be having issues again. While the two former friends have battled in the past, their rivalry was rekindled during an episode of SmackDown before the WWE Crown Jewel 2022 event.
The Queen of Harts suggested she would have defeated Ronda in an open challenge, only for Shayna to attack. Baszler and Natalya had a match the following week, ultimately leading to Neidhart's nose being smashed with a knee strike. She's unlikely to take the beating sitting down and may come for both mixed martial artists.
The only issue with the Natalya and Ronda Rousey rivalry is that The Queen of Harts just had nose surgery. The recovery time isn't likely to be long, however, and WWE could use her surgery as part of the story leading to a bout at an upcoming Premium Live Event following the successful WWE Crown Jewel 2022.
#3. She could have a champion vs. champion match with Bianca Belair following WWE Crown Jewel 2022
While Ronda Rousey is the reigning SmackDown Women's Champion, Bianca Belair is currently the RAW Women's Champion. The EST of WWE captured the title at WrestleMania 38 and has proven to be a dominant champion ever since. She defeated Bayley in the Last Woman Standing match at WWE Crown Jewel 2022.
Looking ahead, an epic encounter between Belair and Rousey feels inevitable. While Survivor Series WarGames seemingly won't feature champions colliding, the two could clash on television before then or even at the upcoming Royal Rumble event.
The bout could be for pride, but there's also a chance that WWE could make a match to unify both titles. Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns had a unification match at WrestleMania, and The Usos unified the RAW and SmackDown Tag Team Titles earlier this year. Could Ronda or Bianca do the same?
#2. Ronda and Shayna Baszler could become a full-time tag team
Ronda told Shayna “She’s still breathing. Me personally I wouldn’t take that” 😭😭 #SmackDown https://t.co/qtBKx2CMsK
Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler were friends long before they joined World Wrestling Entertainment. The two were training partners and made up half of the Four Horsewomen of MMA alongside Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke.
Despite being friends, they've rarely interacted in WWE until recently. Now the two finally appear to be aligned on-screen, which makes for a dangerous duo. Rousey and Baszler are likely to be such a dangerous pair that they could even become tag team champions.
If the two indeed become a full-time tag team, they could challenge the reigning WWE Women's Champions, IYO SKY and Dakota Kai, for the gold.
Kai and SKY won the titles at WWE Crown Jewel 2022 but could lose their belts if they battle the SmackDown Women's Champion and The Queen of Spades.
#1. She could hold another open challenge following WWE Crown Jewel 2022
Emma officially makes her WWE return to answer Ronda’s open challenge!
#SmackDown https://t.co/sOouZrvGI9
The Baddest Woman on the Planet had no challenger for the WWE Crown Jewel 2022 event and instead held an open challenge on the blue brand.
The returning Emma accepted Ronda's call, and the two stars had a hard-fought bout. Despite the quality match, Rousey walked away victorious. With no clear number-one contender on the horizon, the SmackDown Women's Champion could hold more open challenges.
Given the news that Triple H is allegedly looking to bring more female talent back to WWE to stack up the roster, open challenges could be an exciting way to re-debut them. If a superstar defeated Rousey and won the title upon her return to the company, a star would instantly be made.
Could a Tegan Nox or Chelsea Green battle Ronda in the future? Only time will tell.