Ronda Rousey News & Notes, Beth Phoenix - Nia Jax Exchange, Carmella Fails

By
Scott Lazara
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- Carmella tried to cash-in her Money In the Bank title shot against SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair on last night’s SmackDown episode but it backfired on her and the bell never rang. The attempt came after The Riott Squad’s Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan and Ruby Riott triple teamed Flair in the ring. You can see video from the segment below:

- ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, who was the first to interview Ronda Rousey on her new WWE deal, reports that for months Rousey has been training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando late at night when no one else is there but Rousey and a select few. Rousey would travel to the Performance Center at night while filming the “Mile 22” movie in Atlanta. We’ve known for a while now that Rousey had been training in the ring and we noted earlier this week how some of the WWE Superstars she recently trained with were Natalya, Becky Lynch and SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair. Rousey was not at Monday’s RAW as she flew back to Colombia to work on the same movie.

Shelburne added that Rousey is “close to fighting shape” and word from other reports this week is that her first match will take place at WrestleMania 34, rumored to be a mixed tag team match with an unknown partner vs. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. Rousey’s last MMA fight came on December 30th, 2016 - a loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207. Her last fight before that was on November 14th, 2015 - a loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193. In regards to Rousey’s name, WWE will not own the rights as she recently applied for three trademarks to the “Rowdy Ronda Rousey” name.

- Nia Jax and WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix had the following Twitter exchange after facing off in the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble match on Sunday: