Top superstar quitting WWE: 3 ways Ronda Rousey's second run has damaged the company
Ronda Rousey is reportedly set to leave WWE in the near future and wants to put Shayna Baszler over as her final act. The feud kicked off at Money in the Bank 2023 after Baszler betrayed her best friend during their WWE Tag Team Championship match against Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. Shayna would once again take out Ronda during their brawl this past Monday on RAW.
The two women are expected to face each other in a match at SummerSlam 2023. It’s great of Ronda Rousey to want to put over her best friend on her way out of WWE. That being said, her second run is partially to be blamed for the damage it caused to the locker room, primarily the SmackDown women’s roster.
Here are three ways The Rowdy One's run has damaged the company:
#1. Sasha Banks walked out of WWE
WWE’s preferential treatment of Ronda also allegedly led to them losing a popular star in Sasha Banks. The Boss and Naomi walked out on the company during the May 16, 2022, episode of RAW over alleged creative differences. Sasha and Naomi have since thrived in New Japan Pro Wrestling and IMPACT Wrestling, respectively.
Banks was rumored to face Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 38, but Ronda’s surprise return at the Royal Rumble 2022 changed those plans. Vince McMahon inserted her into the title picture, and that allegedly only added to Sasha’s frustrations with the creative. The Boss was also apparently asked to put over the former MMA star before she eventually quit the company.
#2. SmackDown women’s roster suffered a great deal
Ronda Rousey was already a household name when she signed with WWE in 2018. The Baddest Woman on the Planet ran through the RAW women’s division during her first WWE run, picking up wins against the likes of Nikki Bella and Alexa Bliss in the process.
Her second run, however, didn’t contribute much to the company. On the contrary, it affected the SmackDown women’s roster greatly. Many female competitors were practically sidelined because much focus was put on Ronda and her antics on the blue brand.
#3. Ronda Rousey led to another abrupt Charlotte Flair title win
Ronda Rousey’s second WWE run kicked off with a win at the Women's Royal Rumble match in 2022. The 36-year-old star won the title from Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania Backlash, only to drop it to Liv Morgan at Money in the Bank 2022.
Despite being more over than Ronda at that time, Liv’s title run was primarily used to trigger a heel turn for Ronda Rousey. All these events eventually set up another title win for Charlotte Flair, who took the title away from Ronda without a proper build in December 2022.
How would you rate Ronda Rousey’s second WWE run? Let us know in the comments section below.