Ronda Rousey is dubbed "The Baddest Woman on the Planet" for a reason. She is a trailblazer of her generation and has become a global household name in doing so, specifically in the world of MMA and now in WWE.
Ronda found her greatest success in the sport of mixed martial arts. Rousey became one of UFC's headline names and ultimately became the first-ever UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion, which changed the whole game for women in sports.
Female inclusion in sport has been a lifelong battle, particularly in WWE. Many credit Ronda's rise to prominence as sparking the women's revolution within The Worldwide Leader in Sports Entertainment, starting in 2015. Eventually, Rousey would join the ranks at Vince McMahon's organization to fulfill a lifelong ambition of performing for the promotion.
Gone are the days of bra and panties matches and three minute-long in-ring bouts to showcase their women's roster. Now, the women of WWE are headlining major events and are one of the main focuses of RAW, SmackDown and NXT 2.0 each and every week.
During Rousey's first tenure, she became the RAW Women's Champion and ultimately headlined WrestleMania with Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair, making history in the process. The three ladies became the first-ever women's main event of WWE's biggest show of the year.
Ronda's influence is there to be seen, and it has been a refreshing movement that has even trascended over to the company's shows in Saudi Arabia, where women's rights are restricted. On February 19, as it stands, eight members of the female roster will travel to the Middle East to compete in the Elimination Chamber event. More history is being made.
With Rousey's success, she has amassed a number of loyal fans. Since her arrival in WWE, she has generated even more. However, it hasn't always been plain sailing with the WWE Universe. Ronda referred to the fans as "ungrateful idiots" in August 2021 and here's why.
On July 31, 2021, the company released popular superstar Bray Wyatt. A few days later, Ronda sent out the tweet below to insinunate that the fans were responsible for him being let go, where she also made the remark.
What has Ronda Rousey had to say about the WWE Universe since her return?
During one of her recent social media streams, Ronda opened up about her relationship with fans. The stream took place on February 6, just days after winning the Women's Royal Rumble and appearing on RAW.
"The Baddest Woman on the Planet" said:
"It’s hard not to take (things) personally from the fans because I don’t go out there as, I mean, I do go out there as a character but I am also actually Ronda Rousey. I don’t play Ronda Rousey on television, so sometimes I take it personally from the fans. Not so much from the wrestlers, but the fans, I do." (h/t Wrestling Observer)
Ronda Rousey will be competing at WrestleMania 38 in April when she challenges Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women's Championship.
What are your thoughts on Ronda Rousey? Let us know in the comments below.