November 2, 2024

Jessamyn Duke, Marina Shafir join Ronda Rousey, Shayna Baszler in WWE

Invicta FC

The Four Horsewomen of MMA are all now in pro wrestling.

Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir have joined their good friends Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler in WWE, the pro wrestling promotion announced Monday. The WWE announced that Duke and Shafir had begun training at its Performance Center in Orlando, Fla. The two had trained there before and Duke seemed likely to sign as of last month, but now both are officially on board.

Shafir and Duke each have gotten some television time with WWE. Both of them and Rousey were in in the front row for the Mae Young Classic tapings last summer to cheer on Baszler, who went to the finals of the tournament. They were shown on episodes often and even did a backstage segment being confronted by WWE’s version of the Four Horsewomen, led by Charlotte Flair.

The signings could very well lead to a match down the road between Rousey, Baszler, Duke and Shafir against Flair, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Bayley, which WWE teased last year. Shafir is also the fiancée of WWE wrestler Roderick Strong.

Rousey, the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion, made her WWE debut in January and her first match at WrestleMania 34 last month. Rousey teamed with Kurt Angle against Triple H and Stephanie McMahon and put on a critically acclaimed performance. Few athletes coming over from other sports have had better first matches in the WWE ring.

Baszler, meanwhile, is on the WWE’s developmental brand, NXT. She won the women’s title there the night before WrestleMania 34 at NXT Takoever: New Orleans. A longtime catch wrestler, Baszler has taken to WWE very well.

Duke, 31, last fought in MMA at Invicta FC 18 in 2016, falling to Cindy Dandois. After being on The Ultimate Fighter 18 and winning her UFC debut, Duke lost five straight. Shafir, 30, is 1-2 in MMA, last having fought for Invicta in 2015. She is a judo ace and the longtime best friend of Rousey.

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