5 directions WWE could go next with the Ronda Rousey vs. Stephanie McMahon rivalry

It’s 20 years ago to the weekend that Steve Austin and Vince McMahon went one-on-one in a WWE ring for the first time, ending WCW’s 83-week winning streak in the television ratings and kick-starting one of the most iconic rivalries in wrestling history.

Fast forward to 2018 and, if reports are to be believed, WWE is looking to recreate the Austin-McMahon feud between Ronda Rousey and Stephanie McMahon, with MMA megastar Rousey being the anti-authority figure who fights back against the villainous boss.

So far, despite some inconsistent promo segments on Raw, the rivalry has delivered way above expectations, especially following Rousey's incredible performance alongside Kurt Angle against Triple H and Stephanie at WrestleMania 34.

After this week’s segment on Raw, where Rousey locked an armbar in on Stephanie for the second time in 24 hours, it’s pretty clear that this feud is far from over, so let’s take a look at five possible directions that the storyline could go next.

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#5 Singles match between Ronda Rousey and Stephanie McMahon

Stephanie McMahon tried to make peace with Ronda Rousey on Raw

If WWE wants to head straight into another match between Ronda Rousey and Stephanie McMahon, a singles battle between the two women is definitely worthy of headlining a PPV, even above matches for the WWE or Universal title.

Stephanie is sure to seek revenge for being embarrassed by Ronda at WrestleMania 34, as well as the following night on Raw, and the story is ready-made for a singles match between the two at some point.

It’s just a question of whether WWE wants to go ahead with the match soon, allowing Ronda to move on to the rest of the women’s division, or whether the first one-on-one meeting will take place at a big stage like SummerSlam.

#4 Stephanie McMahon recruits the Riott Squad

Does Stephanie McMahon need someone to fight her battles?

With the 2018 Superstar Shake-Up on the horizon, Raw Commissioner Stephanie McMahon has the ability to recruit anybody she likes from Raw or SmackDown Live to help in her rivalry with Ronda Rousey.

Remember when Steve Austin and Vince McMahon feuded? The storyline also brought in additional characters like Dude Love, Shane McMahon, The Rock, The Undertaker, Big Show and Kane.

With Stephanie very much a part-time performer, just like Vince was then, it’d be wise for WWE to have some full-time performers (the Riott Squad, perhaps?) fight Steph’s battles for her to build up the anticipation before the inevitable Rousey vs. McMahon match further down the line.

#3 Ronda Rousey evens up the numbers with help from Shayna Baszler

Shayna Baszler recently won the NXT Women's Championship

While Ronda Rousey adjusts to life on WWE’s main roster, one of her best friends and a fellow member of the MMA Four Horsewomen, Shayna Baszler, has just achieved her long-term goal of winning the NXT Women’s Championship from Ember Moon.

WWE tends not to use Superstars in NXT and WWE at the same time, with Cesaro, Bayley and Kevin Owens being some notable exceptions, but it would certainly make sense in this storyline for Shayna to get involved if Stephanie McMahon recruits some main-roster heels to target Ronda.

Shayna and Ronda will be reunited one day in WWE if/when Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir join the company, so perhaps an alliance between the two former MMA stars could also work to kick-start a potential Four Horsewomen storyline further down the line.

#2 Stephanie McMahon costs Ronda Rousey in her next match

Let's face it, Stephanie McMahon is in no state to compete right now!

Looking at this rivalry from a different angle, Stephanie McMahon had her arm in a sling on Monday night after tapping out to Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 34, and that ‘injury’ will only have worsened after Ronda locked in another armbar the following night on Raw.

Unless Stephanie, who hadn’t wrestled in almost four years before last Sunday, makes a miraculous recovery, there’s a good chance she’ll continue to sell the injury and she won’t be involved in any more physicality with Ronda for at least a few more weeks.

Let’s say Ronda briefly moves away from the authority storyline and she faces somebody like Ruby Riott or Sasha Banks at an upcoming PPV, perhaps Stephanie could interfere towards the end and cost her rival from getting the win.

Granted, it might not be the most exciting storyline development, but it’d only increase the hatred on Stephanie and build even more tension for the inevitable one-on-one match at a later date.

#1 Ronda Rousey gets arrested

Did Ronda Rousey go too far on Raw?

What do power-crazy authority figures do when they’ve had enough with their rebellious employees? In the real world, they probably sack them. In WWE world, however, they usually have them arrested.

We’ve seen it so many times over the years, dating all the way back to the Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon rivalry when both men had the other arrested in 1997 and 1998.

Another police arrest might be a little too fresh in the audience’s minds – Roman Reigns was arrested less than a month ago – but it would be typical of Stephanie McMahon to respond to last week’s armbar by having Ronda Rousey arrested the next time she appears on Raw.