WWE Rumors 'Royal Rumble' 2018: Ronda Rousey Nixes Appearance for Movie Shoot in Colombia
Ronda Rousey won't be appearing in the upcoming "Royal Rumble" 2018 event. The former mixed martial arts star confirmed that she's not in town for Sunday's big competition.
Rumors suggested that Rousey would drop in at the Philadelphia venue of the "Royal Rumble." The sports star, however, nixed the talks and denied she signed up for an appearance.
"I'm actually going to Colombia right now to finishing shooting 'Mile 22,'" Rousey stated and clarified the rumors about her appearance at the WWE match. "I won't be back until mid-February. But I appreciate you saying that, and it's a real honor to hear it."
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Rousey also posted a photo on her Instagram all the way from the movie set in Bogota, Colombia. Her picture shut down speculations that the movie shoot might be a ploy so fans will be surprised if she's at the "Royal Rumble."
The former UFC champion first appeared on WWE "Royal Rumble" last summer for the May Young Challenge. She was in a tag team with Shyna Baszler, Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke. These women wrestled against WWE NXT's Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks, Charlotte and Bayley.
In December, reports revealed that Rousey might permanently join the WWE franchise and leave the UFC. The female champion is supposed to mark her official debut this April for "Wrestlemania 24." The deal, however, remains open and incomplete, as parties concerned haven't officially signed on.
Meanwhile, fans are betting that Roman Reigns will emerge as the top winner of "Royal Rumble" 2018. Other favored stars to dominate the competition include Shinsuke Nakamura, John Cena, Braun Strowman and Finn Balor.
Surprisingly, fans also favored Rousey as the top winner in the female category, despite her unconfirmed appearance. The ranking also included Asuka, Paige, Becky Lynch and Nia Jax.
WWE "Royal Rumble" 2018 will air on Pay-Per-View On Sunday, Jan. 28.
