It has almost been a year since Ronda Rousey first appeared in a WWE ring as a signed talent, following the first ever all-women’s Royal Rumble in January.
Since then, she has been able to make a smooth transition from her time within the octagon into the ring. Former WWE Superstar Kelly Kelly recently gave Ronda praise on how quickly she has be able to adapt to the WWE.
Barbie Blank – aka former WWE Superstar Kelly Kelly – was recently a guest on FOX Sports 1’s Fair Game with Kristine Leahy. During the interview, Leahy asked Blank for her thoughts on Ronda Rousey joining the WWE.
“I think it is amazing and I think what she is doing for the sport and WWE is so huge.”
Blank would continue:
“She caught on so well, because I cannot imagine going from UFC, to real fighting into WWE, where it is like you have to hold back because you have been training your whole life to really beat someone up and I think she is owning it and doing a great job.”
Earlier this year Mickie James also shared her thoughts on Ronda’s progression thus far with The Hype Magazine.
“I think she’s come a long way since she debuted on WrestleMania. It’s tough because you go from being in the ring with Kurt Angle, Triple H, and Stephanie. Stephanie has so much heat. Fans love her and hate her and want to love to hate her. You’re in there with the best of the best, and then you go from that platform into the women’s division, which is a whole other animal of the family, while trying to understand that cycle, but I think she’s working hard and she’s trying hard. It’s a different world for her, and I think it’s a different dynamic in the sense of that we’re all competitive, clearly, but we’re also all a family, and we all must work together. You are only as good as the person in there lets you be at the end of the day. Hopefully, they are professional enough to let you do that,” James said.
She added:
“I think that’s probably the biggest difference for her, that and trying to understand that nobody is out to get her. That is the world she grew up in, understandably; to become an Olympian or go into the UFC Hall of Fame, and become a champion. That type of mindset has helped her become a household name and bring women into the limelight. I think that she’s trying hard and I’m sure that it’s a different world for her to get adapted to and she’s recognizing that this is a whole different animal. I think she loves it here in the WWE.”
Rousey is currently still the Raw Women’s Champion. See who tries to grab the title from Rousey on the upcoming WWE pay-per-view, Royal Rumble, on Jan. 27 from Phoenix.
See the Kelly Kelly interview with Fair Game here, and read the interview with Mickie James here.
