Jonathan Coachman Returns To WWE Announcing, Ronda Rousey Status

[cero2k]

Source: f4wonline.com

-- So much for being in Colombia filming a movie.

Former UFC star Ronda Rousey made her WWE debut following the Royal Rumble and according to ESPN, she has signed a full-time deal with the company.

After Asuka won the first-ever women's Royal Rumble, she was standing in the ring with Raw women's champion Alexa Bliss and SmackDown women's champion Charlotte Flair when Rousey's familiar music ("Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett) hit. Out came the 30-year-old, smiling from ear ear and wearing a Roddy Piper-esque t-shirt and one of Piper's leather jackets that she got from his son.

Rousey attempted to shake Asuka's hand but had it slapped away. Rousey then pointed to the WrestleMania sign a few times, went outside the ring and shook Stephanie McMahon's hand after McMahon was hesitant to do so. Rousey then walked up the ramp and pointed to the sign once again.

Minutes after the appearance, ESPN published an article saying Rousey has come to terms on a deal with WWE "as a full-time professional wrestler." From the piece:

"This is my life now. First priority on my timeline for the next several years. This is not a smash-and-grab; this is not a publicity stunt," Rousey told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne of her decision to join WWE. "When I first met with Triple H, I told him, 'There are other things I can do with my time that'll make way more money, but I won't enjoy nearly as much.'"

Rousey famously made an appearance at a past WrestleMania with The Rock in an angle with Triple H and McMahon, and had been seen in videos during last summer's Mae Young Classic which featured her teammate and friend Shayna Baszler.

-- Jonathan Coachman is officially back with WWE.

WWE announced this morning that Coachman has re-joined the company and is set to join the Raw announce team starting with tonight's episode. He'll be calling the show alongside Michael Cole and Corey Graves, with Booker T leaving the announce table and going back to his former role as a panelist on the pre-show panels for pay-per-views.

According to WWE's announcement, Booker T will also "continue to make appearances on Raw and beyond as a WWE ambassador."

Following his first stint with WWE, Coachman was a broadcaster for ESPN for nearly a decade until departing the company last year. While he was there, he contributed to ESPN's growing coverage of pro wrestling and hosted a weekly WWE-focused SportsCenter segment on ESPN News that began in 2015 and ended in 2017.

Coachman made his first post-ESPN appearance for WWE last Monday. He was featured in a backstage comedy segment on Raw's 25th anniversary episode.

Tonight's Raw will take place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. It's the third straight night that the venue has hosted WWE programming, and the show will focus on fallout from the Royal Rumble.

[Big Red Machine]

Well... at least Booker T is gone.

[Serujuunin]

NO MORE BOOKER T!

Oh my god I’m so happy.

[KILLdozer]

Both are better than Cole though.