Shayna Baszler reveals advice Ronda Rousey gave her on TUF that truly paid off in WWE

After suffering a disappointing second-round submission defeat to Julianna Pena on The Ultimate Fighter season 18, a blow that concluded her series run, Shayna Baszler was at a low point. A firm favorite, her unexpected loss was a hard pill to swallow.

In the wake of this setback, Baszler found solace and wisdom in a conversation with her coach at the time, Ronda Rousey. Rousey offered some foresightful advice, which Baszler still vividly recalls a decade later, particularly as she transitioned from MMA to professional wrestling, becoming a vital part of WWE’s roster for the past six years.

“I lost my fight on that show, and I shouldn’t have,” Baszler confessed during an interview with MMA Hook. “I was incredibly disappointed. Ronda and I had a chat where she said, ‘we don’t know what the future holds, but your loss here will lead to something bigger, you’ll be thankful you didn’t win because you’ll end up in a place better than you could’ve imagined.’ Looking back, it’s fascinating to see how things turned out.”

This prophecy came full circle on the May 29 episode of Monday Night Raw, when Baszler and Rousey emerged as the new WWE women’s tag team champions, a pinnacle moment that echoed their conversation from 2013.

In her wrestling career, Baszler has accomplished much, but getting the chance to work side-by-side with Rousey was a surreal experience. She reminisces about the “real moment” when they hugged in the ring after their victory, a testament to their shared journey that began when Baszler moved in with Rousey in 2013.

Ever since Rousey’s arrival at WWE in 2017, Baszler had been vocal about her desire to team up with the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion. Although the opportunity didn’t present itself until recently, the duo would seize every chance to elicit fan reactions whenever they shared the ring.

Rousey, who had been honing her skills since her 2018 debut, has been commended for her swift adaptation to pro wrestling, having spent most of her career in judo or MMA, including a remarkable run in UFC.

The duo’s journey as a tag team is only just beginning. Now that they have secured the WWE titles, Baszler, the 42-year-old “Queen of Spades,” is confident that they can generate momentum for more significant opportunities.

Rousey was part of the inaugural women’s match to headline WrestleMania, WWE’s premier annual event, and Baszler believes they can reach the same zenith as a tag team. “If you know anything about Ronda, tell her it can’t be done, and she’ll make it happen,” Baszler asserts.

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