Ronda Rousey vs Sasha Banks: A case for and against Ronda Rousey
One of the more intriguing matches that will take place at this year's WWE Royal Rumble is the WWE Raw Women's Championship match between 'Rowdy' Ronda Rousey and 'The Boss' Sasha Banks.
It certainly promises to be an excellent wrestling match.
Sasha Banks is one of the best wrestlers on the entire roster, irrespective of gender. She has had matches ranging from very good to great with multiple dance partners.
Ronda Rousey is a rookie; it has not yet been a year since her first wrestling match. However, with all due respect to Kurt Angle, Ronda Rousey may be the most naturally talented rookie in WWE history. Certainly, nobody apart from Kurt Angle has picked up the nuances of professional wrestling faster than her. Furthermore, it can be quite reasonably argued that Kurt Angle did not have the same spotlight on him as Ronda Rousey; she has been a fixture in the main-event ever since her debut. That is a lot of pressure, a lot of eyeballs, and lots of expectations. To her infinite credit, Ronda Rousey has not only met those expectations but surpassed them. She has improved every single time that she has stepped into the ring.
The question remains as to who will win this match.
Whilst the smart money is on Ronda Rousey, stranger things have happened.
Without further ado, let us delve into the pros and cons of Ronda Rousey retaining her RAW Women's Championship against Sasha Banks.
The case for Ronda Rousey
'Rowdy' Ronda Rousey is the WWE's biggest main-stream star.
She was one of the most dominant champions in UFC history, and one of its greatest box-office draws. She re-invented the wheel as far as it pertains to what a woman could achieve in MMA.
She has starred in several action movies, including global blockbuster franchises such as 'The Expendables' and 'Fast and Furious'.
Everybody and their dog knows who 'Rowdy' Ronda Rousey is. That is enough of a reason for her to carry the championship into WrestleMania 35.
However, Ronda Rousey is also on a collision course to a WrestleMania match against one or both of Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch. A match that would inevitably feel bigger if the RAW Women's Championship is on the line.
The case against Ronda Rousey
It could be argued that Ronda Rousey losing would make her more human, and more relatable. The babyface's quest to regain her championship is a compelling role and one that Rousey would likely excel in.
It can also be argued that having Rousey lose before WrestleMania 35 adds more intrigue to her WrestleMania programme. How will she deal with this adversity? Will it motivate her to come back even stronger? At the very least it would create some doubt as to the outcome of her WrestleMania match.
Then, there is the cautionary tale of Goldberg. Undefeated for so long, when he finally lost, he also lost much of what made him compelling. As Kevin Nash said, if your entire gimmick is that you are undefeated, you better find something else to do after losing. Having Rousey lose at the relatively smaller stage of the Royal Rumble, and relatively early in her career, would safeguard against that.
Lastly, there are the looming specters of Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair. Ronda Rousey cost them the Smackdown Women's Championship at WWE TLC; they are surely looking for revenge. Furthermore, them costing Rousey the RAW Women's championship will add another layer to their inevitable WrestleMania programme.
The Verdict: Ronda Rousey is likely winning this match, unless Becky Lynch or Charlotte Flair interfere.