Thursday, March 28, 2024
EditorialRonda Rousey's Title Win Is Best For Business.

Ronda Rousey’s Title Win Is Best For Business.

3,680 views

TRENDING

Lately I asked some users an interesting question: Did Ronda win the title too soon? Too late? Or just right? I got a mixed bag of answers. The more vocal users were those who believed it was too soon. She didn’t deserve it. She hadn’t won enough matches to be pushed over established superstars (like Sasha or Bayley). Had she won the title later with better build, it would’ve been better received. Some felt it made the current generation of wrestlers look weak.

Yet, in an age where kayfabe’s long dead and gone, WWE isn’t afraid to push fighters who work a “real” style. The Brock Lesnar we had before he went to UFC, worked differently to the Brock Lesnar we got after his return. And while Ronda could work with more of a wrestling style, she’s been asked to work in a way which highlights strengths of her MMA career. And she has to do this in an intense manner .. without injuring those she works with. I can imagine it’s not an easy thing to adapt too, she never had to look after her opponents before.

Ronda isn’t just a fighter, she’s an avid wrestling fan for many years. She’s a big supporter of NXT, and has occasionally been seen cheering on her friend and former NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler. She didn’t need to watch Sasha vs. Bayley’s match in NXT yet .. she did, and appreciated it enough to give them a live plug. She not only understands the business, she cares about it and those who work in it longer than she has. She doesn’t want preferential treatment, and she doesn’t want a part-time schedule. She stays professional though, and if management wants her to be champion .. then she can’t argue? If she refused and they accepted, then WWE’s treating her differently? If management’s seen potential and asked her to win it in a certain way, is she wrong for doing as they asked?

When I talk about fighters being draws, you have to look at two examples who found some success, but perhaps not as much as they could’ve; Ken Shamrock and Bobby Lashley. Unluckily for Shamrock, he came along at a time when many big names were breaking through, otherwise I wouldn’t have been surprised if he became WWF Champion at least once. As for Lashley, he’s never had much of a character. He was such a bland character in his first run WWE weren’t too bothered when he left. It’s only in the last few years did Lashley finally start showing something WWE could work with. He’s still unlikely to find his way to the #1 spot on Raw, but at least he looks like he could destroy anyone.

Ronda is the total package. She has the blessing of a beloved Hall of Famer. She can be the lovable, smiling sweetheart one minute, and an intense wrecking machine the next. She’s approachable, but you wouldn’t mess with her.

Squaring up to a certified future Hall of Famer (Triple H) should’ve been enough to tell us whoever was champion was unlikely to retain. And no offense to Alexa Bliss, she’s a great heel and a (some may disagree) good worker in the ring. But she’s small .. can you honestly believe she could beat Ronda one-on-one? That’s like expecting Finn Balor to go over Lesnar clean. It’s not insulting, management are always going to ask “will fans buy this?”. When Eddie Guerrero beat Lesnar for the title all those years ago, it was largely down to Goldberg’s help. We don’t remember how Latino Heat won it .. we just loved that he did, even more so at the expense of Lesnar.

And Ronda’s the same. She’s likely to become the strongest, most dominant women’s champion ever featured on WWE’s main roster. Fans are more likely to buy a ticket if they can see her. She’s unique and doesn’t work like anyone else, which makes her appealing. Just her association highlights the women’s divisions. She’s near unbeatable, and if she’s ever defeated? It’ll be heard on a global scale. The next days headlines will say Ronda lost her title to [insert name]. Thanks to the work she did in her UFC career, anyone who steps up to take her spotlight will reap serious rewards.

Don’t get me wrong, I can see it from the other side. I can see how it’s tough on some. I can see how some women who work 24/7 for years could be victims of inequality. But much like any business, it’s about making money. Ronda’s a cash cow, and she’ll help to make the women’s divisions just as exciting and talked about as others. All the women in WWE want to someday be as big of a star as she is, and Ronda as their champion sets the biggest target for them. Why should a business relying on selling talents do anything to lower Ronda’s value? If anything, you want to turn it into a positive. And only time will tell us, if it’s the right decision to push her this soon.

For now at least, we have to accept Ronda is the Raw Women’s Champion. Stephanie will never stop getting in her way, and it’s likely leading to a feud between Ronda & Friends versus Stephanie & Stooges. And further down the line .. imagine if Ronda wants to unify titles and go after Asuka? Or Charlotte Flair? What if Shayna Baszler moves up and turns on her long-time friend? And what about the other two horsewomen Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir? They might come to resent being in her shadow and side with Stephanie. There’s potential for future storylines, and the most important thing is .. all the women in WWE will prosper from Ronda bringing more eyes to the product. Or perhaps not? Maybe she’s not as big as WWE makes her out to be? Let’s find out together.

Thanks for reading everyone! Let’s hope Evolution is the next big step in what could be a bright future.

- Advertisment -

LATEST NEWS

- Advertisment -

Related Articles