WWE News: Natalya says Ronda Rousey has to prove herself in the WWE
What’s the story?
After Ronda Rousey made her shocking debut in the closing moments of the Royal Rumble pay-per-view this past Sunday, she has already taken in some criticism from fans for being likely to have everything handed to her.
Fellow WWE female performers also reportedly thought that she stole the spotlight following Asuka's big win. Former WWE Smackdown Women's Champion Natalya recently commented on Ronda Rousey.
In case you didn’t know…
It was Sasha Banks, Nia Jax and Nikki Bella who voiced their frustrations over Ronda's debut. Other than those, Ronda is said to be well liked and well respected among Superstars in the WWE locker room. She has been training with several superstars lately, including Natalya.
The heart of the matter
Natalya recently made an appearance on The Trend with Rebecca Granet, where she was asked if Ronda should be given a top spot in the WWE, despite being new to the company. Nattie said:
Natalya, of course, was born in the famed Hart-Neidhart family, her father, Jim Neidhart was a wrestler, and her uncles are Bret and Owen Hart. With such a strong wrestling lineage, Natalya had wrestling in her life from a very young age.
"We all do have different ways we could go about getting to WWE. Some of us have different backgrounds, I've been around wrestling my entire life, since I was a little girl, since I was born. Not everybody has that background. Not everybody was born into a wrestling dynasty. Lana's journey is different, Ronda's journey is going to be different and I think it's situational.
Natalya also reportedly trained Rousey sometime last month.
"With Ronda, yes, she absolutely does has to prove herself, but I know Ronda personally, I'm friends with her. Ronda has expressed that she more than anything wants to prove herself and she really wants to bring even more attention to the women of WWE, and I think it's going to be incredible for all of us," said the former SmackDown Women's Champion.
What’s next?
Rousey is next expected to return to WWE TV in late February/early March, when she wraps up filming her current movie, Mile 22.
Author’s take
It is a tough situation, technically she will be 'handed' opportunities based on who she is, but we can't expect her to start from the bottom with the likes of Alica Fox and work her way to a feud with Asuka or Sasha Banks on RAW.