Ronda Rousey: A Failed WWE Experiment?

In January 2018, Ronda Rousey permanently joined World Wrestling Entertainment. At the time, the WWE Universe was right to be excited by the arrival of a competitor who was once regarded as the baddest woman on the planet. However, despite the crossover’s promise, many have been left with a bitter taste in their mouths following Rousey’s departure after just 15 months. So, let’s take a look at whether WWE’s Rowdy experiment was a failure.  

Was Rowdy Set Up to Fail? 

As touched on above, lovers of professional wrestling had every right to support the decision to bring in the former UFC bantamweight champion. Since departing the promotion, however, the 33-year-old has done very little to endear herself to the WWE Universe. According to an article by The Guardian, she cites a number of reasons for leaving the company, including spending all of her time trying to entertain “ungrateful” and unappreciative fans. Although there can be no doubts that Rowdy didn’t help herself, it’s also perhaps within reason to somewhat point the finger at the WWE.   

Prior to joining the WWE, Rousey suffered back-to-back defeats in the UFC against Holly Holm and Nunes. In both bouts, the 35-year Judoka was finished by her opponents. Ultimately, this tarnished her undefeatable persona, which, as Sportkeeda suggests, resulted in her overall appeal diminishing. Of course, this isn’t Rousey’s fault as loss is part and parcel of combat sports. That said, the WWE continued to focus their women’s division around the former bantamweight champion, as she went on to become the second-longest Raw Women’s Champion in the promotion’s history. 

Not only that, but there’s a suggestion that the Connecticut-based organization somewhat set Rousey up to fail. The world of combat sports and professional wrestling are very different, and the environmental uncertainty didn’t serve Rousey too well. As per Forbes, the 35-year-old’s microphone work was criticized early on, which wouldn’t have helped her to build a relationship with the WWE Universe, nor stand out from the crowd of mediocre wrestlers.  

Should MMA and WWE Crossovers Be Stopped? 

Perhaps the biggest issue that professional wrestling fans had with Rousey’s short-lived stint with the WWE concerns that continued crossovers between wrestling and mixed martial arts. Over the years, few experiments have proved to be overly successful, arguably aside from Brock Lesnar’s. Although the eight-time WWE world champion recently departed the company to become a free agent, the six-foot-three competitor shone in both the ring and the cage.  

Along with his numerous wrestling titles, the former NCAA wrestler also enjoyed a fruitful stint with the WWE. In November 2008, Lesnar claimed the heavyweight belt after beating Randy Couture by TKO, before then twice defending his title against Frank Mir and Shane Carwin. Although his MMA career would end with back-to-back defeats and a no-contest, he surpassed all expectations in both professions.   

However, where Lesnar has succeeded, others have failed. Take CM Punk, for example. Despite his intentions, he suffered consecutive losses with the UFC to Mickey Gall and Mike Jackson. That said, internationally, crossovers have benefited the world of combat sports and professional wrestling in numerous ways, including enhancing their pop-culture status. Looking at Royal Panda, upon signing up, there are an array of wrestling-themed titles available to play. Lucha Legends, for example, is a five-reel slot that strives to capture the action-packed nature of Lucha libre through its fast-paced nature. 

Unable to Live Up to Expectations 

Upon looking at Rousey’s WWE career, it’s problematic to assign sole blame to her regarding her lack of popularity. While she didn’t help herself at times, the organization also failed to advantageously market her. Yet, perhaps it’s a testament to Rousey’s relevance and her short-term impact that her reign continues to be discussed even after she’s walked away from professional wrestling.