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Tag: Marina Shafir

  • Ronda Rousey Says Her AEW Appearance Gave Her the Freedom WWE Never Did

    Ronda Rousey Says Her AEW Appearance Gave Her the Freedom WWE Never Did

    Ronda Rousey’s surprise appearance at AEW Revolution in March gave her something she said her WWE tenure rarely provided, and she did not hold back in explaining the difference.

    Speaking with Complex News ahead of her May 16 MMA return against Gina Carano on Netflix, Rousey described the AEW stop as a natural, unfiltered experience that stood in direct contrast to the creative restrictions she felt throughout her time under Vince McMahon.

    “It didn’t hurt to be a little catty with it. It was so serendipitous that Marina Shafir is my best friend. We grew up doing judo together when we were little kids. One thing I really love about AEW is that it’s not PG like WWE. So I can walk in there and flick everybody off and walk out and laugh with my best friend and have a great time and not feel as edited as before.”

    Rousey and Shafir’s friendship stretches back to childhood judo training, predating both women’s combat sports careers. Shafir, an active AEW roster member, served as Rousey’s connection into Tony Khan’s promotion. The Revolution appearance in March at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles saw Rousey enter after Shafir’s match with Toni Storm, confront Storm at ringside, and leave through the crowd with her friend in what became one of the more surprising moments of the show.

    Tony Khan addressed the appearance at the post-show media scrum, keeping the description casual and noting that Shafir simply brought her in as backup. Rousey has not signed with AEW and no follow-up appearance has been confirmed by the promotion.

    Rousey faces Carano on Netflix on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood in what she has described as her final MMA fight.

  • Ronda Rousey Makes Surprise AEW Debut, Confronts Toni Storm

    Ronda Rousey Makes Surprise AEW Debut, Confronts Toni Storm

    Ronda Rousey made a stunning debut in All Elite Wrestling on Sunday night, entering the ring at AEW Revolution 2026 to confront ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California.

    The appearance came immediately following Storm’s victory over Marina Shafir in a match that lasted approximately nine minutes. Storm secured the win via rollup following a headbutt, after working through a physical back-and-forth that included three hip attacks in the corner and a Storm Zero.

    Shafir mounted a serious threat late with her Mother’s Milk submission hold, but Storm managed to escape by biting her opponent’s hand before rallying to finish the match.

    Rousey and Storm Go Face-to-Face at Revolution

    With Storm standing in the ring following the victory, Rousey’s music hit and the UFC Hall of Famer made her way to the ring, calling Storm back in for a face-to-face confrontation. Security and referees quickly stepped in to separate the two women — but Shafir seized the moment, blindsiding Storm with a sucker punch from behind as the chaos unfolded around them.

    The segment immediately points toward a potential alliance between Rousey and Shafir in AEW. The two have an existing connection, having teamed together for three tag team matches in Ring of Honor in 2023, giving their partnership established credibility heading into whatever comes next. Shafir has made no secret of her support for Rousey, publicly expressing excitement for her friend’s upcoming return to competition.

    Rousey’s MMA Return Comes First

    Before any AEW program can fully develop, Rousey has a major commitment outside of wrestling. The former UFC champion is scheduled to return to MMA competition on May 16, facing Gina Carano at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California in a fight that will stream on Netflix.

    The card is shaping up to be a significant event — Francis Ngannou vs. Philipe Lins has also been confirmed for the same Netflix card. Shafir has confirmed she will be ringside to support Rousey on fight night.

    The matchup has drawn attention from across combat sports. Amanda Serrano has publicly backed the fight, calling it a game-changer and firing back at those who have criticized the bout.

    What Rousey’s AEW schedule looks like beyond the May 16 fight remains unclear, but her appearance at Revolution — and the unmistakable tension with Toni Storm — has set the stage for a compelling program whenever she’s ready to step back in the ring.

  • Marina Shafir Excited for Ronda Rousey’s MMA Return Against Gina Carano

    Marina Shafir Excited for Ronda Rousey’s MMA Return Against Gina Carano

    UFC Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey is set to make her return to MMA on May 16th against Gina Carano at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Rousey’s longtime friend Marina Shafir has now expressed her excitement for Rousey’s return. The fight is promoted by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions and will be streamed on Netflix.

    Shafir revealed she will be in attendance at the Intuit Dome to support Rousey. The fight is scheduled for five 5-minute rounds at 145 pounds, using 4-ounce gloves in a hexagon cage. A kickoff news conference was held on March 5th at the Intuit Dome.

    Speaking on Busted Open, Shafir shared her enthusiastic support:

    “Oh my God, I’m so excited for her. This is visceral for her. In a non-gay way, I have gotten really hard nipples for her. I’m just very excited for her because she has — you guys just have no f*cking idea what people go through, and for her to be doing the thing that she loves, so wholeheartedly and so passionately, I’m just so excited. I’m really f*cking excited to see what happens, what’s to come. I’m really excited to be there actually too so…”

    Rousey vs. Carano

    Ronda Rousey’s MMA record stands at 12-2. Gina Carano’s MMA record is 7-1. Rousey was the inaugural UFC women’s bantamweight champion and holds the record for six consecutive title defenses. She was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2018.

  • Watch: AEW Star Loses Hair At Grand Slam: Australia

    Wheeler Yuta has lost his hair.

    Tonight\’s AEW Grand Slam Australia event featured a mixed tag team match between the teams of Toni Storm & Orange Cassidy and Marina Shafir & Wheeler Yuta. The stipulation of the bout stated that the person who gets pinned will have to lose their heir.

    Unfortunately for the Death Riders, it was Yuta who lost the match for his team. Luther, who accompanied Storm for this match, then ended up shaving the head of the former Trios champion:

    The show also featured a big #1 contender\’s match between Andrade and Hangman Page. Don Callis was at ringside for this bout.

    The ending of the match saw Callis distracting the referee as Andrade tried to take Page out with a low blow. The former AEW Champion, however, countered with a kick of his own. Hangman then delivered the buckshot lariat to become the new #1 contender for MJF\’s title.