Guns and fake baby bumps?! Ronda Rousey continuing author journey with ‘Unexpected’ graphic novel

Ronda Rousey is tapping into her creative side in life after combat sports.

The former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight champion released her second book this year, Our Fight: A Memoir. Rousey is now set to release her first graphic novel titled Expecting The Unexpected next month (Thurs., July 25, 2024), she announced via press release today (Tues., June 25, 2024).

Rousey’s comic will be published by AWA and feature artwork from Eisner and Ringo Award-winning comic book artist, Mike Deodato, Jr., in a 160-page journey that launches through a Kickstarter campaign. The description for Expecting The Unexpected can be read below.

Her codename: “Mom.” With a fake baby bump filled with guns, she’s built a reputation as one of the deadliest hitwomen on the planet. But on the verge of her big break in the criminal underworld, Mom makes a fateful decision: sleeping with a potential target (who just so happens to be a top-ranked assassin himself). A few weeks later, Mom finds that her codename is about to become a whole lot more literal. What follows is a wild mashup of action, adventure, comedy, and romance as a newly pregnant Mom with a bounty on her head fights off wave after wave of assassins, falls in love with her baby daddy, and decides how to face her personal and professional predicament. EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED sets a new bar for the authenticity of fight scenes through a unique creative process developed by Rousey, Deodato, and AWA.

“I felt like I had to tell this story because Expecting The Unexpected pulls from the most important parts of my life: motherhood, my career as a fighter, and fun action movies,” Rousey said. “I knew I needed an artist who understood how to translate my fighting from real life to graphic novel artwork, so it’s been truly gratifying watching Mike Deodato bring this story to life. I’m so excited to work with AWA and share my very first graphic novel with the world and I hope comic fans will enjoy this adventure.”

Rousey, 37, retired from mixed martial arts (MMA) in early 2017 after she suffered a second career loss (12-2) against Amanda Nunes via first round technical knockout (punches) at UFC 207 in December 2016. “Rowdy” has since enjoyed a professional wrestling run in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) where she won all available women’s titles. She left the company in 2023.