Why did Ronda Rousey have minimum match time in WrestleMania 39 bout? Details on injury status

On Night Two of WrestleMania, Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler celebrated their win in the Women's Showcase Fatal four-way tag team match. However, during the fight, fans noticed Rousey spent a large portion of her time outside the ring before using an armbar to get a tapout from Shotzi.

On an episode of SmackDown at the beginning of March, Rousey was expected to appear in a tag team match with Baszler against Natalya and Tegan Nox, but she was seen in a sling that night. Many speculated on whether the injury was part of the show, but rumors later circulated that she was recovering from a minor elbow injury that she sustained on February 27.

Despite this, The Baddest Woman on the Planet still made it to the Show of Shows. She watched most of the action from outside the ring before taking the opportunity to clinch the win.

The crowd heckled the duo despite their victory, seemingly unhappy with the outcome. Fans also shared their thoughts regarding the former SmackDown Women's participation on Twitter.

This easy win could set up a likely title matchup for the tag team championship against Becky Lynch and Lita in the near future. There has been no confirmation yet as to what plans WWE has in store for Ronda Rousey.

When was Ronda Rousey's last WrestleMania match?

The former UFC champion made the transition to professional wrestling in 2018. Her WWE journey began with a surprise appearance at the Royal Rumble event in January, where she confronted WWE superstars Charlotte Flair, Asuka, and Alexa Bliss. Rousey later signed a full-time contract with WWE and made her in-ring debut at WrestleMania 34 in April 2018.

She has been in and out of the ring since her debut year and made a return after a three-year hiatus at the beginning of 2022, where she won the Royal Rumble match. Ronda Rousey appeared in WrestleMania 38 last year and faced Charlotte Flair for the Smackdown Women's Championship in a losing effort. She later won the title at WrestleMania Backlash.

Flair's surprise return on the last episode of SmackDown last year caught Ronda off guard as she suffered her second pinfall loss in WWE and lost the title. Regardless of her defeat, WWE continued to keep Ronda Rousey on their roster, reportedly having other ideas to develop her storyline. Since then, she has segwayed into the tag team division with her partner, Shayna Baszler.

After their win this weekend at the Show of Shows, the duo have showcased their ability to quickly overcome their opponents. It will only be a matter of time before the UFC Hall of Famer puts forth a challenge towards current women's tag team champions Becky Lynch and Lita.