Last week, after once again being attacked by Becky Lynch during a match, an incensed Ronda Rousey demanded that Vince McMahon get out to the ring and lift Becky Lynch’s 60-day suspension. Who she got instead was Stephanie McMahon.
The Billion Dollar Princess promptly told The Baddest Woman on the Planet that the suspension will stand and that was that. Ronda then laid her title down in the middle of the ring and walked off.
Yesterday, Stephanie blessed us with multiple segments and explained that Becky’s suspension had been. However, because she was still injured, she had to sign a Hold Harmless Agreement for a match at Fastlane for the RAW Women’s Title that she felt Rousey vacated.
This led to a main event segment where Becky signed the agreement her match with Charlotte Flair was set, but enter Ronda Rousey who stormed the ring.
Rousey stated that she wasn’t vacating her title. She just wanted to give Stephanie time to think on it and to prove that Stephanie can’t control her. This forced Steph to change the match to Charlotte vs. Becky at Fastlane, with the stip that if Becky wins, she will be added to the Women’s Championship match at WrestleMania 35.
She then turned to the crowd and said that she tried to please them and she’s not their performing monkey anymore. Afterwards, she seemingly turned heel by attacking Charlotte and destroyed an already injured Becky Lynch.
It was about time. After a harrowing weekend of being dragged by Becky Lynch and the WWE fans, many wondered if now was the time to pull the trigger on a Rousey turn. If you need a reminder of said dragging, look below:
Ronda blurred the lines of kayfabe. As reported previously on Diva-Dirt by Lauren Founds, Ronda was legitimately angry. That’s when what some may assume to be the real Ronda came out. That is why the heel turn works for her. Nobody believed in that “This is my dream! I’m happy to be here! Yay me!” gimmick she was pushing.
Nobody believed when she tried to be emotionally vulnerable, or waxed poetic about respect. Nobody saw her as a babyface. People saw through that act just like they saw through Rocky Maivia in 1997.
Every week, crowds continued to turn on her, causing her to lose her place during promos; stumble over her words and get visibly frustrated. You can tell she expected to be given a hero’s welcome and that the crowds would love her. If she possessed the charisma or overall aura of a John Cena – where the crowds don’t phase him – then I believe that WWE would have kept her as a face in this story.
Unfortunately for Mrs. Rousey, much like the crowd decided that Becky as a heel wasn’t working for them, vice versa was the case for Rousey. Much like Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair, Ronda Rousey is a natural heel. Those who have followed her UFC career know about Ronda’s persona. She has a tendency to come off thoroughly unlikable and has a knack – as seen on Twitter – to make things personal.
She went after Charlotte Flair, then she went in on both Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks. She also made some disparaging remarks about Nikki Bella and her relationship with John Cena during their feud last fall.
Even if she’s done so unintentionally, Ronda has buried the hard work that the women of the Divas Era put in. She has a tendency to act as if she is above the women’s division, but now as a heel, she can do so without having to disguise it. Let’s see how her character changes going forward. She’s going to thrive.
What say you? Does Ronda need to be heel? Is she unlikable? Do you think Becky or Charlotte stand a chance now? Tell us in the comments.
