Ronda Rousey first stepped into a WWE ring at WrestleMania 31 when she was involved in a segment featuring The Rock, Triple H, and Stephanie McMahon.
Two years later it was announced that the former UFC star had now signed with WWE and would be training as a wrestler. Rousey made a surprise appearance following the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble match in January 2018 confronting Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair, and Asuka. This was followed by an appearance at Elimination Chamber a month later which kick-started her rivalry with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon.
Rousey made her in-ring debut at WrestleMania 34 where she teamed with Kurt Angle to defeat WWE’s power couple.
WWE Discussed Royal Rumble Debut For Ronda Rousey
However, it has been revealed that there were discussions over having Rousey make her first in-ring appearance in the women’s Royal Rumble Match in 2018. Speaking on his podcast, Oh You Didn’t Know, WWE Hall of Famer Road Dogg said there were reservations about throwing the star straight in so it was decided she would come out after the match.
“So look, I think there was definitely hesitation in putting her in it and have her just beat everybody. I think there’s also hesitation in does she come out afterwards instead, does she step on that? So look I think there’s always hesitation with every idea you do. However it’s just which one feels the best when you get, you know, what’s the end of the day. And I think they thought that it would probably protect her better to have the thing won and then have her walk out and say I’m coming, you know, whatever.
I’m here now whatever so I don’t know man, it’s a business decision that the powers that be make those decisions and and you weigh them out. Because I heard a lot about oh she just came out and stepped on the Rumble pop and then whatever. I heard that or I read that actually on Twitter, I wrote it down and I read it. But I thought man you can’t win for losing with some people.
We just had the first ever women’s Rumble. We crowned this lady, here she is, and then this one holy mackerel showed up. What’s going to happen now? Like I don’t know I thought it was the right thing to do and I thought it I thought it worked.”
Ronda Rousey hasn’t wrestled since losing the SmackDown Women’s Title to Charlotte Flair on the December 30th edition of the blue brand.
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