Ronda Rousey pins down first graphic novel, Expect the Unexpected

WWE champion, UFC Hall of Famer…graphic novelist? Ronda Rousey has completed writing her first graphic novel, Expect the Unexpected, marking her first foray into the comic world.

In Expect the Unexpected, a hitwoman who goes by “Mom” wears a fake baby bump as part of her gimmick. But when she actually becomes pregnant after sleeping with a target, she finds herself challenged with dealing with both her pregnancy and her job, all with bounties on her head.

The adventures of “Mom” partly stem from experiences that Ronda Rousey – who became a mother in 2021 – has undergone…presumably without the whole hired assassin thing. While Rousey wrote the graphic novel, Mike Deodato, Jr. – a contributor to DC, Marvel and Dark Horse – handled the artwork.

On the origins of Expect the Unexpected, Ronda Rousey said, “The whole story is just the story of me and my husband. Our journey trying to get pregnant, having a baby, our becoming parents …When you actually come to that realization and live up to it is I think a process that isn’t really covered in anything I’ve really seen so far. That was kind of a personal journey that was really important to us.”

Ronda Rousey told the Los Angeles Times that she planned for Expect the Unexpected to be written as a screenplay (a separate endeavor than a previously reported one), with the idea for herself to star. But Rousey has developed a love for graphic novels over time. “I originally intended on this being a movie, but I really think that this is the way it was always meant to be, as a graphic novel. Maybe that’s the path that I was meant for more, to be a graphic novelist.” Even still, she wouldn’t mind seeing it adapted for the big screen.

So when can we expect the unexpected? AWA Studios has a BackerKit campaign for the graphic novel officially launching on July 25th, with chances for donators to get hand-signed copies and even being depicted in the artwork having our ass handed to you by Ronda Rousey herself.

Ronda Rousey joins the likes of other former pro wrestlers like The Ultimate Warrior and Jerry “The King” Lawler who have contributed stories or artwork to the comic form.