Ronda Rousey Moves Into TV Production with MMA Drama Series ‘Brawlers’

Ronda Rousey may have stepped away from competing inside the cage, but she’s not done with mixed martial arts altogether. Just weeks after announcing her retirement from MMA, the UFC Hall of Famer is pivoting to the entertainment side of the sport, taking on an executive producer role for a new drama series called Brawlers.

The MMA-themed project has already secured a California tax incentive, a meaningful early milestone that typically signals a production is moving toward a real shoot rather than sitting in development limbo. Details on the full cast, creative team, or network/streaming home were not disclosed in the available reporting, but the project’s momentum is notable given how recently Rousey closed the door on her fighting career.

For wrestling fans, Rousey needs little introduction. After becoming one of the most transformative figures in UFC history — she was instrumental in mainstreaming women’s MMA — she transitioned to WWE and quickly became one of the most high-profile signings the company had made in years. She captured the Raw Women’s Championship and headlined WrestleMania 35 before stepping back from in-ring work. Her second WWE run in 2022–2023 included a SmackDown Women’s Championship reign before she ultimately departed.

With that chapter seemingly closed and her MMA career now officially behind her, Brawlers represents Rousey’s first major public move into the production space. Given her firsthand knowledge of the combat sports world she’ll be dramatizing, she’s a credible creative voice to have attached to a project like this. Whether the show finds a home and makes it to screens remains to be seen, but as a first step into producing, landing a tax incentive deal is an encouraging sign.