Play video content EXCLUSIVE 01/10/18 TMZSports.com

Ronda Rousey had a VERY interesting dinner date Tuesday night -- Triple H ... and it seems like the two sides are one step closer to hammering out a deal to get Ronda in the WWE.

Triple H snuck out of Republique restaurant in L.A. first. Ronda followed with her agent in tow and was in a pretty great mood.

She wouldn't spill the beans on whether a deal was done -- but interesting that Triple H would come to L.A. at the same time the "WWE SmackDown Live" was going down in Alabama.