Recently, WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle, was asked to reflect on his experience teaming up with Ronda Rousey in her first WWE match and compared her debut year in the promotion to that of fellow WWE superstar, Brock Lesnar.
In the interview with Instinct Culture, Angle praised Rousey’s debut year, stating:
“In the business, once you get experience, you learn how to improvise and work on the fly. You come up with 50% of the match, and then the other 50% you just make it up as you go along.”
Ronda Rousey Did “Incredibly Well”
He acknowledged that Rousey did not have the opportunity to learn this technique prior to her first outing, but still praised her for her impressive debut year, saying:
“What she did in her first year, I would even say she had a better first year than Brock Lesnar or myself. I think she did incredibly well.”
That’s high praise indeed from Angle, considering Lesnar won the WWE Championship twice in his main roster debut year, won the Royal Rumble and headlined WrestleMania XIX. Angle himself enjoyed one of the most celebrated debut years in history, winning King of the Ring, and the European, Intercontinental and WWE Title in his first 12 months.
However, Angle also pointed out that while Rousey had gained traction in the industry quickly, she had not yet mastered the business aspect of professional wrestling when they teamed up at WrestleMania in 2018. He revealed that she had to be given step-by-step instructions in order for her to know what was happening in the ring.
“The one thing Ronda didn’t do that she could and will do eventually, she never mastered the business.”
The comparison between Rousey and Lesnar highlights the success and impact Rousey had in such a short amount of time in her initial WWE run. In addition to being a multi-time women’s champion, Rousey also co-headlined WrestleMania – becoming the first woman (along with Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch) to do so, and won the Royal Rumble in 2022.
Given that, perhaps Angle’s comparisons of Rousey to Brock Lesnar are not that far wide of the mark.
H/t to Essentially Sports