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It’s been five days since the 2018 Royal Rumble pay per view, and all anyone can talk about is Ronda Rousey’s official debut as a WWE superstar. She showed up at the end of the event, pointed at the WrestleMania sign, and let the world know that she had arrived.
It felt like a genuinely huge moment and that can’t be said for all big female segments, so in that regard, it was a success. Unfortunately, many fans chose to focus on the negatives, despite the fact that it was one of the best ways you could’ve possibly debuted her.
Regardless of that we’re choosing to look on the positive side of things because let’s face it, Ronda Rousey being a part of the WWE family is huge for the company.
So with all of that being said, it’s time to take a look at our five reasons to be optimistic about Ronda Rousey in WWE.
#5 MMA Track Record
Professional wrestling stars transitioning into the world of mixed martial arts is a method that hasn’t exactly gone perfectly for some over the years. For every Bobby Lashley you’ve got a CM Punk, and because of that, we tend to believe that going in the opposite direction tends to be much more beneficial for someone’s career.
Case and point: Brock Lesnar, Ken Shamrock and Shayna Baszler. Those three superstars alone chose to take a shot with WWE, and for the most part, it paid off. Sure, Brock was a WWE superstar prior to being in the UFC, but he came back after having conquered MMA by becoming the Heavyweight Champion.
This is the definition of a proven track record, and we should all be happy about that.
#4 Paul Heyman Potential
Ladies and gentlemen, his name is Paul Heyman – and if he can’t turn you into a star, then nobody can.
The one major flaw that some fans are predicting in Rousey’s WWE run is her mic skills, with many members of the WWE Universe believing that she won’t be able to cut an effective promo. Whether that’s true or not, there is one sure-fire way to make sure that nobody ever has to find out: bring in Paul Heyman.
Paul has said in the past that he’d be interested in working with Ronda, and this would make all the sense in the world. Heyman knows how to promote a former MMA fighter, and it’d be fascinating to see the contrast of having a man manage a female superstar for once.
No, James Ellsworth and Carmella do not count.
#3 Star Power
Despite her two losses at the hands of Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, Ronda Rousey is still one of the biggest combat sports stars in the world and that’s just a fact. Her celebrity grew and grew with each dominant performance in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and as evidenced by the media interest for her debut, she’s still got that spark.
In a year that will see WWE begin TV deal negotiations, having Ronda as a fully-fledged superstar is going to do wonders for their popularity. Her presence alone makes the company feel more legit, and her MMA background is only going to enhance that.
Say what you will about her, but this was a smart business move by the company.
#2 Pro Wrestling Affection
In case you hadn’t heard already, Ronda Rousey was a huge professional wrestling fan back in her younger days.
She has often told the story of not being able to say Hulk Hogan as a young child, in addition to watching the WWF product with her friends for years. Rousey’s affection for wrestling, though, was most evident whenever she stepped foot inside the cage and was announced as ‘Rowdy Ronda Rousey’.
Many fans will know that Roddy Piper gave Rousey his blessing to use the Rowdy name in UFC, and that’s something that has stuck with her for many years. Hell, she even wore his jacket down to the ring at the Rumble.
One thing is for sure, her love of wrestling will make lead to her Piper-inspired merchandise doing extremely well for WWE.
#1 Flexibility
When Ronda Rousey walked down the ramp at the Royal Rumble, she came across as a complete and utter babyface. The way she was smiling, addressing the fans and even the way she interacted with the other superstars made her feel like a good guy.
But as we all know, there’s a different side to Rousey that she’s shown on multiple occasions during her UFC run. She can be cold, calculating and a complete killer, which means WWE has a lot of room for her character to grow if they start her off as a babyface.
Perhaps she can work a mixed tag program against Steph & HHH before turning on the Raw after WrestleMania?
