Now that former UFC champion Ronda Rousey has officially made the transition over to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), other mixed martial artists may eventually follow suit. Rousey has been blazing trails since her UFC takeover in 2013 so it’s only natural that other fighters pay attention to her professional ventures.
Colby Covington, who is currently positioned at No. 3 in the UFC’s welterweight division, has taken quick notice of Rousey’s career change and is interested to test the same waters in the future. Of course, that is if “Rowdy” doesn’t ruin it for the rest of MMA’s finest.
“I think it was a great move for [Ronda Rousey]. She wasn’t gonna win anymore fights, so she’s gotta do something that she can win in, so maybe pro wrestling’s that,” Covington said in a recent interview with Jason Kindschy on BJ Penn Radio.
“I think she’s done well for herself and she’s gonna make some good money over there,” he continued. “The thing is, I hope she don’t f-ck it up for the MMA fighters, because I’m the people following in those footsteps. I’ma be over there in WWE, taking the world title soon. I hope she doesn’t act all shy and do all that weird stuff, you know? She needs to be who she is and who she used to be in the UFC when she was the champ.”
Luckily for Rousey, Covington has an idea of how she could avoid “f-cking it up” for all of the other MMA hopefuls. Covington points to Dan Lambert, owner of American Top Team (ATT), as someone who could manage Rousey and assist her evolution as a WWE superstar.
“Hopefully she keeps that same persona and don’t f-ck it up for all the MMA fighters,” said Covington. “I think she needs a guy like, you know, even a guy like Dan Lambert. That guy is one of the best most intelligent managers in the game, I mean, he’ll sh-t on Paul Heyman. If they had a little face off, man, Dan Lambert would take the cake, I guarantee it. You know, when we went to Impact, he was going off with Jim Cornette. They were going back and forth. Cornette knew what was up, he knew that Dan Lambert was one of the best heel managers to ever grace the sport of MMA or pro wrestling, so, she’d do well if she’d hire a guy like Dan Lambert.”
Covington, 29, isn’t the first UFC fighter to tease a move into professional wrestling and he probably won’t be the last. The ATT standout has won his last five Octagon appearances, including a one-sided beatdown over Brazilian legend Demian Maia back in October, yet is still interested in competing under the WWE banner.
Only time will tell which fighters actually follow in the footsteps of Rousey, and if Rousey herself can acclimate to the physical and mental demands of being a professional wrestler.