Why Ronda Rousey's star is fading in WWE
Not many WWE Superstars can say that they walked into the company in quite the same way as Ronda Rousey.
When WWE signed Rousey - the former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion and the first true female mega-star in MMA history - it seemed like a perfect match.
Vince McMahon brokered a deal with one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, and although she was defeated in back-to-back fights before her retirement from the octagon, she still had a lot of credibility as a legitimate fighter.
After all, she's still the first women's champion in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and a Hall of Famer in the sport. No one can take those accomplishments away from her.
The powerful judoka, trained in part by the legendary Gene LaBell, was everything you could ask for. A ready-made star with a legendary athletic background, she had WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT written all over.
It was a perfect fit for the company and a perfect retirement plan. Rousey could transition to sports entertainment and still have the longevity to make a ton of money for years to come.
When Rowdy Ronda burst onto the scene in WWE, she was instantly embraced by the audience
Her first appearance in the ring was with The Rock at WrestleMania 31, when she locked down Stephanie McMahon and tossed Triple H around like a wet bag of cement. The WWE Universe went wild.
Ronda, riding the momentum of that night, would later tweet out: "We're just gettin' started..."
The night: Historic.
The moment: Electric.
The Rock, Ronda &the WWE Universe: Magic.
We're just gettin' started... http://t.co/mUOoBIFsaQ
Indeed, she was.
Rousey would eventually join the company full-time in 2018, making her debut by teaming with Kurt Angle against Stephanie and Triple H at WrestleMania 34. She was nearly flawless, leading to many critics and observers saying it might be the best initial outing in the promotion's history.
From there, the momentum never stopped. When Joan Jett would bust out with that first line of Rousey's theme, "I don't give a damn 'bout my reputation...", the crowd would erupt.
She rode that adrenaline all the way to the RAW Women's Championship and had a ride on the WWE rocket ship like no female competitor had ever experienced. Ronda was truly on top of the world when she became one of three women to main-event WrestleMania for the first time ever.
Wrestlemania 35’s header will be Ronda Rousey vs. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair
It’ll be the event’s first women’s main event https://t.co/da7XCaIB62
However, as we all know, it was Becky Lynch's time to shine as she captured both the RAW and Smackdown titles on that magical evening. Rousey would go on to take a long hiatus from sports entertainment after that, not returning until earlier this year.
This time around, however, she was carrying a lot of baggage with her.
During her time away, Rousey had criticized sports entertainment, referring to it as 'fake' and reminding everyone that she was a 'real fighter'. It was confusing for the audience, who didn't know what to make of it all. She had embraced them wholeheartedly, but was now engaging in social media wars with members of the fanbase.
Upon her return, it's seemed like she had to fake her babyface smile and sound a lot more forced on her promos. Rousey just doesn't have the same magic sparkle she had during her first run, and the crowd doesn't respond to her like they did when she still had that new car smell.
Part of that may be because - no matter what anyone might say - wrestling fans are smarter about what they're watching than most might think. They can spot a phony, and there are many in the WWE Universe who now feel that Rousey is simply going through the motions. Whether that's fair or not, the opinion is at least out there right now.
While she is, and will always be, a major star in MMA, TV, movies and (yes) sports entertainment, Ronda Rousey is not at the same level she was in her first run with WWE. Unfortunately, she will probably never reach that stratosphere again, and much of that she brought on herself.
In many ways, this is similar to her run in UFC. She was doing great as long as she was on top. But when faced with adversity? Things were never the same for Rousey, and she retired not long after.
When it comes to pro wrestling, fans are fickle by nature. Especially if you give them ample reason to be. Rousey did herself no favors during her time away from the promotion, and she hasn't done much to light that spark again upon her re-emergence.
We will likely never see Ronda Rousey version 1.0 again. And so far? The re-boot has had a few glitches in it. Now, we'll see if The Rowdy One can reset her career in sports entertainment and solidify her WWE legacy before it's too late.
Maybe she can start that at WrestleMania Backlash by winning the WWE Smackdown Women's title from Charlotte Flair. That would be a great start on a long road back to her former glory.
What do you think of Ronda Rousey's time in WWE so far? Will she remain in sports entertainment or walk away when her current contract expires? Please share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.