Just in case some of us aren't aware yet, former 1st ever female UFC Champion Ronda Rousey is joining WWE and will be signing her contract at the upcoming Elimination Chamber PPV. What we don't know is the set in stone plans for her but most people have been pointing to the obvious.
With it almost set in stone that Alexa Bliss will be defending her RAW Women's Championship against Asuka at Wrestlemania 34, there is no clear contender to take on Charlotte Flair for her SmackDown Women's Championship. Rousey's debut match will be at Wrestlemania; so what better than to have the daughter of the famous Ric Flair take on a woman considered to be one of the best in her sport and someone that was inspired by Roddy Piper.
Here's the thing, WWE is using celebrity status and popularity of a semi-retired MMA fighter to gain a boost in popularity, because despite not being able to keep up with the younger fighters anymore everyone still knows who Ronda Rousey is. Now my problem is that she is going to be immediately thrust into not only the limelight but into the championship scenario BARELY knowing what she is doing and unable to properly handle a match of that caliber. WWE Championship matches should be between the best of the best and should showcase the ultimate ability that these athletes have to perform a solid athletic show for fans; not between one of the best female wrestlers out there and an amateur professional wrestler.
To me this says WWE is trying so desperately hard to either bring in a new audience with the MMA crowd (which hasn't worked so far with Brock Lesnar) and to bring ratings to a company that is desperately lacking in them. The ratings for both RAW and SmackDown Live are abysmal and are the worst they have been in years; the company makes most of its money on WWE Network subscriptions, merchandise sales, and other outlets so they don't really need to worry about the ratings but it truly speaks to the product. If WWE put quality on every week then it would be worth watching but bland stories aren't going to draw me in and neither is never giving a push to deserving guys or burying new talent. And throwing a celebrity in and potentially have them winning the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship is ESPECIALLY not going to make me watch; if anything it is going to make me only watch when there's a Women's title match to make sure she hopefully loses.
If Rousey joins, she'll be another part-timer on the gigantic list of part-timers WWE has. If she wins a title, she'll be in the same category as Lesnar, a part-timer holding a championship that could be held by someone who actually busts their ass in the business and not someone who is popular through other means (Rousey) or "just looks tough" (Lesnar). That's my gripe with this too, it's another major title shot and potentially title going to a part-timer. Where's Becky Lynch ?? Where's Ruby Riot ?? Where's Naomi ?? Where's anyone on the women's roster that's actually a legit wrestler. This is a waste of their talent. Why as a wrestler who breaks my back for the industry should I even care about my job when I know the company doesn't care about me ?? When I know they're just throwing a bone to famous people, it's a waste of my time. It makes me wonder how some of them do it and I have respect for those that do stick it out but their talent is being wasted on trivial shit like Ronda Rousey wanting to take a shot at professional wrestling.
Ronda Rousey as a professional wrestler is the same thing that CM Punk is as a MMA fighter.........it's a joke. As a huge CM Punk fan, I'm allowed to call that out. It's a joke and it's a huge slap in the face to any woman on the SmackDown roster who gets pushed aside for this.
And as for pushing women aside, Rousey's debut in WWE: "So Asuka, you are the 1st ever winner of the Women's Royal Rumble that must be an amazing feat." Only to have a famous person come out, point at the Wrestlemania sign and eclipse your moment and a famous moment in women's professional wrestling history. Her story thus far has not thrilled me and the high, high, high potential of this happening or of her being the first person ever to beat Asuka is ludicrous. Needless to say I'm not a fan of Rousey's venture into pro wrestling because these sorts of opportunities should go to people like Becky Lynch, people who have tried for years to make it, who want this so badly. Or to not be put in the position Charlotte Flair is in, to be one of the best in your field, to be THE CHAMP, and to simply have to put up with this shit.......or even worse potentially lose and be overshadowed by a rookie, a nothing like her, it's embarrassing.
In professional wreslting, unfortunately talent doesn't always prevail, and stupid ideas do. Hopefully Rousey isn't one of those stupid ideas and that smarter heads prevail.
With it almost set in stone that Alexa Bliss will be defending her RAW Women's Championship against Asuka at Wrestlemania 34, there is no clear contender to take on Charlotte Flair for her SmackDown Women's Championship. Rousey's debut match will be at Wrestlemania; so what better than to have the daughter of the famous Ric Flair take on a woman considered to be one of the best in her sport and someone that was inspired by Roddy Piper.
Here's the thing, WWE is using celebrity status and popularity of a semi-retired MMA fighter to gain a boost in popularity, because despite not being able to keep up with the younger fighters anymore everyone still knows who Ronda Rousey is. Now my problem is that she is going to be immediately thrust into not only the limelight but into the championship scenario BARELY knowing what she is doing and unable to properly handle a match of that caliber. WWE Championship matches should be between the best of the best and should showcase the ultimate ability that these athletes have to perform a solid athletic show for fans; not between one of the best female wrestlers out there and an amateur professional wrestler.
To me this says WWE is trying so desperately hard to either bring in a new audience with the MMA crowd (which hasn't worked so far with Brock Lesnar) and to bring ratings to a company that is desperately lacking in them. The ratings for both RAW and SmackDown Live are abysmal and are the worst they have been in years; the company makes most of its money on WWE Network subscriptions, merchandise sales, and other outlets so they don't really need to worry about the ratings but it truly speaks to the product. If WWE put quality on every week then it would be worth watching but bland stories aren't going to draw me in and neither is never giving a push to deserving guys or burying new talent. And throwing a celebrity in and potentially have them winning the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship is ESPECIALLY not going to make me watch; if anything it is going to make me only watch when there's a Women's title match to make sure she hopefully loses.
If Rousey joins, she'll be another part-timer on the gigantic list of part-timers WWE has. If she wins a title, she'll be in the same category as Lesnar, a part-timer holding a championship that could be held by someone who actually busts their ass in the business and not someone who is popular through other means (Rousey) or "just looks tough" (Lesnar). That's my gripe with this too, it's another major title shot and potentially title going to a part-timer. Where's Becky Lynch ?? Where's Ruby Riot ?? Where's Naomi ?? Where's anyone on the women's roster that's actually a legit wrestler. This is a waste of their talent. Why as a wrestler who breaks my back for the industry should I even care about my job when I know the company doesn't care about me ?? When I know they're just throwing a bone to famous people, it's a waste of my time. It makes me wonder how some of them do it and I have respect for those that do stick it out but their talent is being wasted on trivial shit like Ronda Rousey wanting to take a shot at professional wrestling.
Ronda Rousey as a professional wrestler is the same thing that CM Punk is as a MMA fighter.........it's a joke. As a huge CM Punk fan, I'm allowed to call that out. It's a joke and it's a huge slap in the face to any woman on the SmackDown roster who gets pushed aside for this.
And as for pushing women aside, Rousey's debut in WWE: "So Asuka, you are the 1st ever winner of the Women's Royal Rumble that must be an amazing feat." Only to have a famous person come out, point at the Wrestlemania sign and eclipse your moment and a famous moment in women's professional wrestling history. Her story thus far has not thrilled me and the high, high, high potential of this happening or of her being the first person ever to beat Asuka is ludicrous. Needless to say I'm not a fan of Rousey's venture into pro wrestling because these sorts of opportunities should go to people like Becky Lynch, people who have tried for years to make it, who want this so badly. Or to not be put in the position Charlotte Flair is in, to be one of the best in your field, to be THE CHAMP, and to simply have to put up with this shit.......or even worse potentially lose and be overshadowed by a rookie, a nothing like her, it's embarrassing.
In professional wreslting, unfortunately talent doesn't always prevail, and stupid ideas do. Hopefully Rousey isn't one of those stupid ideas and that smarter heads prevail.
All I can say is coming out of Wrestlemania 34, should this actually be the match that takes place, if Charlotte isn't like she is in the picture below. Hand raised by either the referee or her proud father, "The Nature Boy", then it will be a travesty to professional wrestling.