Who is Ronda Rousey and why did she sign with Facebook Gaming?

Most people know Ronda Rousey from her time in the UFC, as a WWE superstar, or for her gold medal performance at the 2004 Olympics in the World Junior Judo Championships. 

Something you might not know is she’s actually an avid gamer as well. The celebrity fighter recently announced her exclusive streaming deal with Facebook Gaming, with her first stream kicking off on 18 February. 

Ronda Rousey and gaming 

Ronda will be streaming Pokemon Sword and Shield (Picture: RondaRousey.com)

While her stardom as a fighter in both WWE and UFC is without question, you might not have heard about her passion for gaming.  

Ronda Rousey has been a gamer from a very young age. One of her favourite gaming memories is when she was 11-years-old, playing Pokémon Blue for the first time and encountering an Articuno. 

You might also recognize her voice in Mortal Kombat 11 as Sonya Blade. She also made her debut in WWE 2K19 as a playable character. 

Ronda clearly has a passion for gaming with a particular love for the Pokémon franchise. That is why she is getting into streaming, exclusively on Facebook Gaming. 

The Facebook Gaming stream 

Ronda's first gaming stream kicks off on 18 February at 3pm PST (11pm GMT) and you can catch it on her official Facebook Gaming page. In the future, her streams will follow a more set schedule for either Monday or Sunday. 

Ronda Rousey will be playing Pokémon: Sword and Shield for her first stream with 100% of the proceeds going to Australian bushfire recovery efforts. This is also to give fans an opportunity to "connect with the real Rousey" and not a "characterized version they’re used to seeing".  

In an introductory video, Ronda says: "As many of you know, I have been an avid gamer most of my life and if you don't know, now you know.  

“I'm super excited for us to geek out together, especially because we're starting with 'Pokémon Sword and Shield. 

“After this week we're going to be following a more set schedule, I don't know, Sunday or Monday mornings, we'll figure it out." 

Streaming platform giants YouTube, Twitch, Mixer, and Facebook Gaming have been competing to sign exclusivity deals with stars for a while now. With Ronda Rousey joining Facebook Gaming, they have one of the most recognizable names in WWE history on their roster. 

It will be exciting to watch Ronda Rousey's first stream to see what she has in store for her fans. She calls it, "The baddest stream on the planet".