Former Champion labels WWE match against Ronda Rousey as "one of my favorites"
WWE SmackDown superstar Natalya has hailed her match against Ronda Rousey as one of her favorite matches in the company.
The former Women's Champion reshared a post about her match with Rousey three years ago. They locked horns in a singles bout on Christmas Eve 2018.
One of my favorite matches…such an awesome story behind it, too @RondaRousey @WWE twitter.com/wwenetwork/sta…
Natalya and Rousey formed an alliance when the latter arrived in WWE. They were booked as training partners and the "Record Breaker" even worked alongside Rousey both as her manager and her tag team partner.
In December 2018, Natalya won an 8-Women Gauntlet match to become the No. 1 contender for the RAW Women's Championship. She challenged Rousey for the title the following week's RAW and delivered an impressive performance but could not dethrone the Baddest Woman on the Planet.
In a recent Twitter post, Natalya looked back at the encounter as one of her favorite matches in WWE and even praised the story leading up to her title bout with Ronda Rousey.
"One of my favorite matches…such an awesome story behind it, too," wrote the veteran star.
Both Natalya and Ronda Rousey share a long history in their personal lives, and WWE did well in using their real-life relationships to create a friendly angle on television.
Natalya sends a message to Ronda Rousey after cementing incredible records in WWE
The Guinness Book of World Records recently acknowledged Natalya's three WWE records. She is now the female superstar with the most matches, most wins, and most pay-per-view appearances in the company's history.
Natalya posted a cheeky letter on Twitter in which she revealed her conversation with Ronda Rousey and also explained why she is no longer talking to her friend.
I am Natalya’s assistant, and she asked me to release this before #Smackdown, as she wants to be celebrated, but is too big of a deal now to post it herself. It is my honor to honor her. Happy Holidays!🎄 https://t.co/Mng7HkIUfa
Rousey promptly responded by congratulating Natalya before asking her to pick up her calls.
Natalya enjoyed a very good run in 2021, which saw her win the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships alongside Tamina. The pair split up during Draft 2021, and Natalya is currently working as a heel.
The 3-time champion is now gearing up for a feud with Xia Li on WWE SmackDown. The latter is being booked as the Defender on the blue brand, and Natalya wants to teach her next opponent a thing or two about showing respect towards veterans of the industry.
What do you think of Natalya's comments regarding Ronda Rousey. Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.