Ronda Rousey is going to be heading back into the competitive spotlight this summer as it’s been confirmed she’ll feature as a team captain on a reboot of the ABC show ‘Battle Of The Network Stars.’
The show was a hit in the 1970’s and 80’s and saw a group of TV stars being pitted against each other in a series of athletic challenges like Tug of War, Archery, Kayak Relay, the Obstacle Course and the Dunk Tank.
ABC are now reviving the format with a new series that will begin airing on Thursday, June 29th and have confirmed that Rousey will serve as a captain opposite SuperBowl 50 winner DeMarus Ware.
“We believe there is no format which is a better time machine than Battle of the Network Stars, plus the name itself fills you with nostalgia and a sense of positive energy – like the beach party you really want to be invited to with your favorite people from TV,” Executive Producer Andrew Glassman said.
“For this new version, the network vs. network format didn’t make as much sense as fielding teams based on the characters people love from over the years to the current day – Cops vs. TV Sitcoms, White House vs. Lawyers, TV Moms & Dads vs. TV Kids, etc. In this way, we’ll get to see everyone’s favorites from over the years, even if they spanned different networks at the time.”
The 100 celebrity competitors from 14 different networks and cable companies are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Up to this point Rousey has generally been keeping a low profile since her TKO loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 in December, though she did guest star in an episode of NBC’s drama show ‘Blindspot’ and also recently got engaged to her fellow UFC fighter, Travis Browne.
It’s doubtful that Rousey will ever set foot in the Octagon again after suffering two brutal defeats in a row, but she still remains a big star, as evidenced by the fact that she’s just been announced as the 16th most famous athlete in the world, according to ESPN’s world Fame 100 Rankings.
Rousey was the highest ranking female on the list, beating out Serena Williams who placed at No.19.
‘Rowdy’ also beat out her fellow UFC superstar Conor McGregor, who was ranked No.25 according to ESPN, while Anderson Silva also made an appearance at No.39.
