Why did Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler win the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles? 3 possible reasons
WWE Monday Night RAW saw the crowning of new Women's Tag Team Champions. To the surprise of some, although many expected it, the duo of Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler captured the gold.
The two mixed martial artists won a four-team bout. The other three teams included Shotzi & Raquel Rodriguez, Damage CTRL's IYO SKY & Bayley, and the villainous pair Chelsea Green & Sonya Deville. In the end, Ronda made Shotzi tap out with the Armbar.
The titles had been vacant for a handful of weeks thanks to an unfortunate injury. The previous WWE Women's Tag Team Champions were Raquel Rodriguez & Liv Morgan, but The Miracle Kid suffered a serious injury that required World Wrestling Entertainment officials to strip the pair of their gold.
Now Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler are on top of the tag team division. Given their villainous nature and Ronda's reputation, the two winning gold is certainly receiving a mixed response from the crowd.
Still, there are a few key reasons as to why the company likely put gold on the two submission experts. This article will dive into a handful of those possible explanations.
Below are three possible reasons why Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler won the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles.
#3. Ronda Rousey is a big name away from wrestling
Ronda Rousey is a big name in pro wrestling and in WWE, but some could argue that her star power in the company has diminished over the past year or so. She has often been scrutinized for her matches and promos. The Baddest Woman On The Planet is far from a beloved figure on social media, or at least in certain circles.
Still, there's no denying Rousey is a big star away from WWE. She rose to fame in legitimate combat sports, having had success in a few fields, including the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where she won gold and helped usher in an era of female fighters on a major stage.
In addition to Rousey's success in sports, she's a popular figure in entertainment in general. She has dabbled in acting and even tiptoed in reality television and competition shows. The Baddest Woman On The Planet has been on the cover of a variety of magazines on a regular basis.
Given her immense popularity compared to most pro wrestlers, it makes sense that WWE would want to keep Ronda Rousey in a prominent position. A star like Rousey walking around with gold can, in theory, help both the titles themselves and the division.
#2. They were seemingly ready to win the titles much sooner
#AndNew WWE Women's Tag Team Champions...
@RondaRousey and @QoSBaszler! https://t.co/qeaKehth9m
Another big reason why Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler won the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles on RAW simply comes down to planning. The two have likely been penciled in to win the gold for a long time.
The two stars first united on television in the latter half of 2022 following Triple H's rise to power in the wake of Vince McMahon's scandals. While it seemed as if the two were going to then take over the tag team division, there were some hiccups.
Rousey isn't a full-time competitor and often took time away from the company, including for other entertainment pursuits. Beyond that, both women suffered injuries over the past eight-to-ten months.
The duo winning gold on WWE RAW shouldn't be a major surprise, as it was likely planned for a long time. Only now are both women healthy and able to compete for the gold, thus they won the belts.
#1. WWE wants dominant champions to eventually put over Kayden Carter & Katana Chance
Kayden Carter and Katana Chance
https://t.co/tsF5VttCCe
A major criticism of Vince McMahon's booking strategy towards the end of his reign in WWE was that he was seemingly booking week to week, even day to day. McMahon became notorious for allegedly ripping up scripts and changing shows completely on the same day they were meant to air and, at times, even while a show is on the air.
Triple H seemingly books in a much more story-driver fashion with an emphasis on build and long-term storytelling. With that in mind, Ronda and Shayna winning the tag team gold was likely done with a plan in mind.
Rousey and Baszler are dominant superstars, and of course, Ronda is a big name away from wrestling. WWE and Triple H are aware of this and likely hope that whoever defeats the mixed martial artists end up receiving a major rub as a result.
Two recent call-ups could be who The Game plans to eventually dethrone the duo. Kayden Carter and Katana Chance are charismatic stars who once held the NXT Women's Tag Team Titles. The two were drafted to RAW, and a vignette aired for them on the latest edition of the red brand's weekly show.
Knowing their success in the past, the company will likely push them in the background so they'll be ready to dethrone the dominant champions in the future.