AEW star on Ronda Rousey's blockbuster debut in Tony Khan's promotion: "She called me up"

A current AEW star reflected on the debut of Ronda Rousey in Tony Khan's promotion more than a year ago. The star revealed how the whole plan came together at the time.

Following her departure from the WWE after Summerslam 2023, Ronda Rousey joined forces with her long-time friend and AEW star, Marina Shafir, and continued wrestling on the indie scene. Rousey also made her Ring of Honor debut in November 2023, when she teamed with Shafir and defeated Athena and Billie Starkz.

As Ring of Honor is owned by Tony Khan, fans were hopeful to see Ronda in AEW but it didn't happen. Speaking on Talk is Jericho, Marina Shafir disclosed how Ronda's ROH debut in 2023 came together:

“She calls me up, she called me up a couple of months beforehand, or maybe like a month beforehand. She’s like ‘I got to wrestle with Shayna [Baszler] and then I got to Shayna. I really want to wrestle with you. This needs to happen.’ I’m like ‘no s**t Sherlock, let’s make this happen.”

Shafir further revealed their conversations before their match on ROH:

“I walk out, I’m in the ring, Ronda’s music hits, as she’s walking out, I’m watching her walk in and she’s like looking at me taking off her belt and her Gi and she’s like ‘Marina, we’re about to f*k s*t up,’ and I’m like ‘oh God yes.'” (H/T ewrestlingnews.com)

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AEW star offered praise for Ronda Rousey

AEW star Marina Shafir offered high praise to Ronda Rousey and also referred to her as her best friend. Speaking on Talk is Jericho, Shafir admitted that Ronda is still so competitive and got the job done:

"She was and is still so competitive. Just her big picture mentality was her driving force. And you knew about it and you could feel it as soon as she walked into the room. It was the most inspiring. It was just cool. Like I could call her my best friend. That was it. She didn't give a s*it. She just got the job done."

Moreover, many fans have expressed their desire to see Ronda and Marina together inside a squared circle again since their last match in Ring of Honor.