Ronda Rousey is gearing up for her autobiography’s adaptation into a screenplay, set to premiere on Netflix. Originally slated with Paramount in 2015, the project encountered setbacks due to studio management changes, ultimately leading to its expiration.
However, according to a recent report from Deadline, Rousey, now 37, has inked a new deal to transform her life story into a screenplay for a biopic on Netflix, produced by Chernin Entertainment. Drawing from her memoirs,
‘My Fight/Your Fight’ and ‘Our Fight’, co-authored with her sister, Maria Burns Ortiz, the film will go into Rousey’s journey, exploring her departure from UFC after enduring two devastating knockout losses, her battles with concussions, and her stint as a professional wrestler in WWE.
‘Rowdy’ reportedly advocated for the chance to write her biopic’s script after action writer Mark Bomback was initially assigned to the task. With guidance from her agents at William Morris Endeavor (WME), Rousey delved into screenwriting, mastering the craft’s intricacies. Impressively, she completed the script detailing her life in just seven days, leading Netflix to secure the rights.
While Rousey will write and produce her biopic, she will not portray the lead character, a shift from the original plan with Paramount. Nevertheless, she has found success in acting, featuring in films like ‘Expendables 3’ with Sylvester Stallone, ‘Furious 7’ with Dwayne ‘The Rock Johnson, and ‘Entourage’.
“That’s [concussion] basically why I had to retire. I couldn’t talk about it at all when I was doing MMA. Because it would literally put a target on my head, and I might not have been allowed to compete any further.”
EXCLUSIVE: Former UFC champion and WWE star Ronda Rousey has now found a new challenge to tackle and that is the role of screenwriter. Sources tell Deadline, Rousey has closed a deal to adapt the script for her own biopic at Netflix https://t.co/4uwyZX7x3s
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 2, 2024
Rousey’s departure from the UFC in 2016, following losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, puzzled fans. During an Instagram Live session in March (via The Guardian), she disclosed that her history of concussions before her MMA career significantly influenced her retirement: