Ronda Rousey’s exit from the UFC, and eventual jump to the WWE, came with plenty of unknowns. How the audience would react was at the top of the list and would significantly play into how her early wrestling career could develop. Some crossover fans had faithfully followed Rousey for years before losses led to her UFC exit, and WWE banked on her appeal to another national market making the impact they had desired.
Apparently, WWE’s concerns also fell in line with Rousey, who expounded on those fears before jumping headfirst into sports entertainment in an interview with the Asbury Park Press.
“I really was not expecting it at all. The WWE Universe is very protective of their love and their art and they don’t want people flippantly coming in and disrespecting it and trying to capitalize off of it,” Rousey said.
“I wanted the WWE Universe to know that this is something that is just as important to me as it is to them, and this isn’t a ‘get rich quick’ scheme for me. This is something I really, really care about and want to contribute to. Like, I really, really want the WWE to be better off because I was part of it, and I would love for that to come across to the fans as well, and there have been times where you have to kind of play the Dark Knight and do what’s best and not what makes you look best. But I’ve been fortunate to have those things be aligned, at least as of late, you know? So it’s been a very, very pleasant surprise, and if they all turn on me and boo me tomorrow, I at least hope that I will be entertaining them in the process.”
The audience seemed fine with Rousey after her Royal Rumble appearance, but it was her WrestleMania match that drew rave reviews, with even Good Ole Jim Ross praising the former UFC champ’s ridiculously entertaining debut.
Whether Rousey is embraced by the WWE audience moving forward remains to be seen. With a Raw Women’s Title match slated for SummerSlam after Alexa Bliss stole the title from her at Money in the Bank, and possibly a WrestleMania 35 main event in her sights, WWE had better hope fans are continually drawn to her.
(H/T Fightful)
