Ronda Rousey sets her sights on big Hollywood paydays

Ronda Rousey, the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s biggest draw at the moment, is ready to follow the lead of former WWE champion and movie star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

In an ESPN the Magazine interview released this week, Rousey says she sees no reason why she can’t become the highest-grossing actor in the world.

The UFC’s unbeaten female bantamweight champion said, “If ‘The Rock’ can become the world’s highest-grossing actor, I can have that same goal.”

Rousey will be featured in “The Expendables 3,” which is set to open in the U.S. on Aug. 15. She’ll also appear in “Fast & Furious 7” and “Entourage” next year.

“I didn’t grow up wanting to be an action star,” Rousey said in the interview. “I just didn’t think it was in the cards. Now that it’s a possibility ... I want to be the highest-grossing actor in the world someday.”

The “Expendables” franchise has featured several legendary actors. When asked who made the biggest impression on her, it was another of the world’s highest-grossing actors.

“Harrison Ford, by far,” Rousey said of being starstruck. “Nobody has affected me like Harrison. I was obsessed with ‘Star Wars’ as a kid. .... Han Solo was my guy, and ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’ was actually the first action movie I watched, so I was super-starstruck.

“When I saw him, I was like, ‘Do I introduce myself? Do I go out of my way to do it? Do I pretend to not notice him?’ I just lost it.”

Rousey, who is 10-0 in mixed martial arts fights and 4-0 in UFC title defenses, is looking to return to the octagon in December. Former Strikeforce champion Gina Carano, who is also an actor but has yet to sign a UFC contract, is Rousey’s most likely opponent.

Next year could bring a matchup against Holly Holm, a former pro kickboxer and boxer who recently signed with UFC.