MR. TITO: Ronda Rousey Needs to Calm Down on the Anti-WWE Rhetoric or Else Become Female Ryback

Folks, it’s time to call Ronda Rousey out… While I respect much of what she’s accomplished inside the octagon for UFC and inside the ring for WWE, it’s the outside the ring actions and specifically words that make me cringe. Yes, she is 100% allowed to have an opinion and I’m all for anyone having their own opinion… But I have an opinion, too, and in my opinion, she’ll morph into the FEMALE version of Ryback if she’s not careful. You know, the ex-WWE wrestler who was taken care of when they were and then says outrageous things afterward for shock value.

For Ronda Rousey, she has stated the following and there’s likely more to come:

• She didn’t want to be Vince’s “action figure” any longer, hence why she left

• Vince McMahon was still acting through Bruce Prichard (I believe that, actually)

• Charlotte Flair pushed to take extra time for her Wrestlemania 39 match

• Claims of a concussion from a Stephanie McMahon slap during 2018

Oh, where do we start?

Well, let’s go back to the mid-2010s… She was pushed by UFC as being invincible and then she lost 2 matches, back-to-back, that proved she wasn’t. Ronda did not take her loss to Holly Holm well, reportedly considered suicide briefly (thankfully, she reconsidered) but then got back into the octagon with Amanda Nunes and lost quickly for that match. During the time she was champ but also during these losses, Ronda was difficult with the press and got very upset anytime either of these 2 losses were brought up. Furthermore, her attempts to appear in movies began to dry up and UFC didn’t want to pay her as much because of the 2 losses.

There was always 1 company, however, that was promoting her as the toughest female on the planet EVEN WHEN she was losing fights in UFC… Vince McMahon‘s WWE… She was ringside for WWE events, had a HUGE spot with the Rock at Wrestlemania 31 in fend off Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, and they pushed her 4 Horsewomen group as something legitimate (even though only Shayna remains employed from that group with WWE). Ronda Rousey reportedly signed a WWE deal during 2017, at a time when UFC and Hollywood didn’t want her, and they reportedly paid her a base salary between $1 million and $3 million per year plus incentives (those Rowdy Ronda shirts, baby).

Through 2017, when Hollywood and UFC turned their backs on her, the WWE opened their arms and checkbooks for her. And they pushed her HARD.

I mean, come on, that Wrestlemania 34 match? Triple H/Stephanie versus Kurt Angle/Ronda Rousey is legitimate an all-time classic and I’d argue the VERY BEST mixed tag match of all time. Both Triple H and Stephanie sold pure fear in dealing with Ronda and that match did nothing but make Ronda Rousey look like an absolute star. By SummerSlam 2018, she wins the Women’s Title by squashing Alexa Bliss. She went on a winning streak and fought and defeated most top names at the time. At Wrestlemania 35, Ronda participated in the first ever FEMALE Main Event of a Wrestlemania. 34 prior Wrestlemanias, no female wrestlers even whiffed the main event spot. Ronda, along with Charlotte and Becky, headlined this damn show.

Then, WWE gave her YEARS of time off to start a family… Congrats to her, as she gave birth to a daughter during 2021.

Need a steady income again? She comes back to the WWE per Royal Rumble 2022 and instantly wins the Rumble Match. She has a high profile match against Charlotte Flair at Wrestlemania 38 and even though she lost, she gets a rematch at Backlash and defeats Charlotte for the title in an “I Quit” match. Rousey won her 2nd Smackdown Women’s title that year to avenge a Liv Morgan who cashed in a MITB briefcase on her. Ronda loses the title back to Charlotte Flair, and then gets to enter a storyline and then feud with her friend, Shayna Baszler. She was tag champs with her and then for SummerSlam 2023, they wrestled in a “MMA Rules” match which wasn’t as exciting as it could have been but Ronda did right by putting over her real life friend.

Her WWE contract expires and she left the company, initially retiring before working the independent circuit again for 2024.

OK, let’s break this WWE career down… Exactly how did Vince McMahon restrict your career again? I mean, they paid you millions when UFC and Hollywood wouldn’t, while pushing you HARD during this entire time. They also gave you YEARS off to start a family and then welcomed you back with open arms (and a push) upon your return. You have MILLIONS…. and MILLIONS in your bank account thanks to additional opportunities afforded to you by Vince McMahon.

Sure, Vince McMahon turned out to be complete trash with the way he treated WWE office employees, but he pushed Ronda Rousey to the moon and paid her extremely well. THAT’S A DAMN FACT.

Not once did you refuse to cash those WWE checks, did ya? Not once did you file any complaints about Vince McMahon while you were working there, did ya? And how many places will give you 3 years off and an VERY EASY working schedule to begin with? Good lord, WWE treated you like gold and paid you more than any female talent, by a margin, and probably more than most male talents.

And criticizing Charlotte Flair for more time is hilarious… Haven’t you skipped the line enough just based on your name? You avoided a more extensive in-ring training before your WWE in-ring debut and it showed… Other wrestlers had to carry you through matches, while they struggled to do anything to you because you weren’t trained to sell their stuff well at all. And again, by you joining the WWE, you took many top spots that women worked years in WWE’s developmental system and during the Divas era to obtain. Furthermore with Charlotte, SHE was the one who made YOU look the best inside the ring! Sold for you like a champ!!! How dare you, Ronda, criticize Charlotte who went out of her way to make YOU look good.

Concussed by Stephanie McMahon? I’m calling BS on that one… While Stephanie tends to be on the stiff side with her slaps, she’s not putting maximum force. Her efforts are to make a louder sound and not make an impact. Furthermore, WWE through 2018 had a Concussion Protocol. If you felt in any way, shape, or form concussed, it was up to you to report it and begin testing. Secondly, Stephanie McMahon was an Executive Vice President of the company. If she hurts you, you can file a legitimate complaint within the WWE Corporation and sue them! Why didn’t she do that?

Ronda needs to THANK Stephanie McMahon… Stephanie sold absolute fear of her and took a ton of punishment at Wrestlemania 34. THAT made Ronda a big star again and she coasted on those fumes for literally 6 years, 3 of which she was not even there. WWE rebuilt her reputation in one night and that’s mostly thanks to Stephanie finally getting hers.

I don’t know, folks… She seems entirely ungrateful for the opportunities and financial gains awarded to her by the WWE following a time where UFC and Hollywood didn’t want her. WWE also giving her a limited schedule and YEARS OFF allowed her to escape the WWE without any major injuries. Lots of money in the bank account at the age of 37, great health, and a family to enjoy those riches with… Not a bad deal.

Sounds to me like she’s piggy-backing off of the Vince McMahon stuff to sell extra books. In many ways, she’s sounding like a female version of Ryback who is sitting home and bitter that his career didn’t go as he planned. I always know when Aaron Rift posts controversial topics said by Ryback when I see “Former WWE superstar says this…” on the headlines. Are we going to start seeing “Former WWE female superstar says this…” and we’ll begin to roll our eyes at her comments like we do with Ryback?

TKO is a holding company that oversees WWE and UFC, the two places where Ronda Rousey made her name. Vince McMahon is GONE from the company, and Stephanie McMahon exited before TKO was even formed. To Ronda’s credit, she praised Triple H and wished that she did more work with him…

And that’s where Ronda should focus… This is a different WWE model that is more welcoming and nurturing of talent. Wrestler morale is way up in the company right now, especially with Vince McMahon long gone. She’s a UFC Hall of Famer, who should be seeking to build bridges to the WWE to get into their Hall of Fame and not burning them. Your 40s are coming, Ronda, and your athletic peak is about to diminish… Build good relationships as there are plenty of non-athletic roles in these companies to continue adding to your bank account.

Don’t go full negative on a company who gave you legitimate opportunities when others (UFC, Hollywood) did not. You’re better than that, and the Vince McMahon stuff speaks for itself but he treated you quite well with the pushes and the millions paid.

And Ryback, it’s never too late to get out of the online hole that you’ve dug yourself. You had a great WWE career that could have blossomed into a bigger career. Be strong enough to be humble, my friend. If you also had creative or payment issues with Vince McMahon, well, he’s gone now. You’re 42 years old and have some miles left, if you want to be professional about it and rebuild relationships that you once had. It’s never too late, as other wrestlers have said and done much worse than you and had a great redemption story. Call Triple H, as I’m sure he’ll listen.

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