The friendship between Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler was a sight to see. Rousey, who didn’t have many friends in the industry when she joined the WWE, finally reunited with her MMA sister. Now that friendship has become a bitter rivalry with a huge match at the upcoming SummerSlam 2023, with an added stipulation. But what is the special stipulation??
With MMA being their background, the two have different styles of wrestling from what we are used to seeing in the women’s division. So, how can the WWE do justice to what these women bring to the ring??
The first-ever MMA rules match for the SummerSlam 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
At Money in the Bank 2023, Baszler and Rousey were in a match against Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan. This was for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. However, Baszler tuned on Rousey mid-match, letting Morgan pin her and claim the titles.
This started the feud between the two former MMA friends. Baszler went on to justify her actions by claiming she was tied to being in Rousey’s shadow. She said that thanks to Rousey’s fame in MMA, she got everything on a silver platter in the WWE. Rousey and Baszler went back and forth on the mic till the WWE scheduled a match at the 2023 SummerSlam with MMA rules.
It's MMA RULES between @RondaRousey & @QoSBaszler THIS SATURDAY at #SummerSlam!
📍 DETROIT
🎟️ https://t.co/dMdhQwemLy pic.twitter.com/mkJ7824UkR— WWE SummerSlam (@SummerSlam) August 1, 2023
An MMA rule will have no count-outs, pinfalls, or disqualifications. This will be the first-ever MMA rules match in pro wrestling history. The only way to win this match is through submission or knockout.?
READ MORE: Ronda Rousey Digs Up Past Incidents to Mock Ex-Best Friend Shayna Baszler?s Less Popular MMA Career
With Baszler and Rousey’s history in MMA, the two can take complete advantage of this stipulation. Rousey is a former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion. She holds the record for the most title defenses in the division. Baszler is a former Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion. With Rousey’s record of knocking out Alexis Davisin in 16 seconds and her dominant UFC run, she is the favored one going into the match.?
Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler were part of the Four Horsewomen
Rousey, Baszler, Jessamyn Duke, and Marina Shafir formed The Four Horsewomen of MMA. These women were recognized as pioneers in the MMA’s women’s division. The women were all friends during their training period in their MMA careers. Rousey has been cited as the woman whose career established MMA as a legitimate sport for women.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
She is also the first American woman to have an Olympic Bronze medal in Judo and the first Women’s Bantamweight Champion in the UFC.
https://twitter.com/MostlyMMA/status/1684252782730280962?s=20
Baszler had a run in the UFC from 2013 to 2015. Before this, she worked for Strikeforce and Invicta FC. She joined pro wrestling in 2015, and after joining NXT, she was the longest-combined-reigning NXT Women’s Champion.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Now the two MMA fighters will wrestle each other under WWE’s banner in a match they will be all too familiar with. Fans are excited to see the culmination of the feud at SummerSlam 2023.
Watch This Story: On His 54th Birthday, Triple H Seemingly Takes a Dig at AEW by Reacting to a Controversial Tweet