4 Potential Managers for Ronda Rousey
Ronda Rousey is set to face Charlotte Flair in a rematch for the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship in an "I Quit" match at WrestleMania Backlash on Sunday, May 8th.
With this announcement, it is possible that WWE plans to give her a run with a major championship, but, regardless of the outcome, this is a sign that Rousey is sticking around for a while longer.
After falling short against #SmackDown Women’s Champion @MsCharlotteWWE at #WrestleMania, @RondaRousey challenges The Opportunity to an “I Quit” Match at WrestleMania Backlash. https://t.co/f4lcrPOuKG
Should the Baddest Woman on the Planet unseat Flair, all eyes will be focused on "what's next." Will she remain a babyface or will she turn heel? Will she show up on Monday nights to challenge WWE Raw Women's Champion, Bianca Belair, in an attempt to unify the titles?
Whatever the plan is, many fans agree that Rousey could use some help with her promos. Historically, in cases like this, WWE has assigned managers to certain wrestlers to speak for them and give them some additional credibility. While this strategy hasn't been as widely used as it was during the 1980s, the company still employs it from time to time.
The following list looks at four potential options should WWE decide to pair Rousey with a manager. This would assume that she would play the heel role, which appears to be a more natural fit for her.
4. Could Malcolm Bivens recruit Ronda Rousey to the Diamond Mine?
Proud to have spent Night 1 with the beautiful women who uplift me daily. https://t.co/fIAeIE4I9j
The former UFC Champion would not be the first main roster star to compete on NXT 2.0. Recently, major talents like AJ Styles and Dolph Ziggler have gone on to engage in feuds on the developmental brand, meaning it could be a possible short-term avenue for Rousey.
This would be a bit of a stretch, but, conceptually, Malcolm Bivens' Diamond Mine faction in NXT would be a nice fit for Ronda Rousey. First, she would be part of a group that is less focused on entertaining and more focused on wrestling and grappling, with a mixed martial arts feel that is very familiar to her.
Second, she could serve as a mentor and trainer to Ivy Nile, who is just starting her journey. Finally and most importantly, Bivens is a great talker and would do a great job selling Rousey as the star WWE would like her to be.
3. Could Sonya Deville become a Manager?
This wouldn't be a natural fit, as the two don't appear to have a lot of on-air chemistry. The two also clashed during the initial stages of Rousey's in-ring return this year. That being said, Deville has evolved from solely being an in-ring competitor to a backstage official where she has honed her ability to cut heel promos and generate heat. Additionally, she also comes from a mixed martial arts background which could make sense from a storyline standpoint.
Admittedly, it would be great for the company to get behind Deville and give her a solid run in the ring. But if that's not the plan, putting her in a meaningful role as a manager would be the next best thing.
2. Could we see the return of Stephanie McMahon to TV?
Stephanie McMahon hasn't been booked as an on-air character in several years. Fans may remember that one of the last times she was part of a storyline, she was the authority figure antagonist against Ronda Rousey.
In an interesting plot twist, what if McMahon were to re-emerge, restore her position as the head of the Authority and align with Ronda Rousey and serve as her manager?
This would not only generate a good amount of heel heat, but it would further cement Rousey as a main event talent through her allegiance to McMahon.
1. Could Ronda Rousey become a "Paul Heyman Girl?"
Over the past decade or so, Paul Heyman has generally been given one wrestler to manage at a time. That being said, he has never managed a female talent and if anyone could promote Ronda Rousey as a dominant force, it would be Heyman.
If this were to happen in the short-term, however, Rousey wouldn't be a natural fit into the Bloodline faction with Heyman, Roman Reigns and the Usos. Any work Heyman would do with Ronda Rousey would have to be a separate story, which would take some creativity to execute. Nevertheless, it would be an intriguing idea and something fans could get behind if it were to happen.