Ronda Rousey made waves in the wrestling world when she decided to exit the global juggernaut, WWE following her SummerSlam showdown with The Queen of Spades, Shayna Baszler.
Months after her exit, The Rowdy One provided candid accounts of her WWE experiences In her book “Our Fight,” including expressing frustration towards Bruce Prichard and John Laurinaitis, getting concussed at the hands of Stephanie McMahon, and alleging discrimination against women in the company.
Moreover, after spending nearly five years as an in-ring competitor, Ronda Rousey dismissed professional wrestling as a legitimate sport and labeled it as two people only putting up a physical performance during a recent interview with Steve O’s Wild Ride.
“It’s scripted. Mostly. There is a general idea. They are working together. I like to relate it to figure skating. Two people together creating a performance. As Shayna [Shayna Baszler] likes to say, there is no fake way to take a chairshot. You’re actually getting hit with a chair. It’s also not a competition. A lot of wrestlers and stuff will be like, ‘Wrestling is real. I got this injury or that injury.’ I’m like, okay, as a competitor in an actual sport, I’m never worried about getting injured. I’m worried about losing. That’s the most stressful part of it. Injuries are not at all what you’re thinking about. That’s not what makes it real or makes it hard. It’s the uncertainty of the outcome. When people are like, ‘it’s a real sport.’ No, it’s not a sport. It’s a very intense performance, which I have a lot of respect for, but it’s not a sport. If you’ve ever dealt with the stress and anxiety that comes with competition, you can’t take that out and call it a sport. It’s so tough. It’s very physical, but it’s not a sport.”
For now, Ronda Rousey is enjoying the success of her book release, attending cultural events, and spending a lot of time with her family, particularly dedicating maximum time to bringing up her daughter.
As Rousey explores new avenues outside of WWE, fans are curious about what the future holds for the former UFC champion in the world of professional wrestling.
What are your thoughts on Ronda Rousey not considering professional wrestling as a sport? Sound off in the comments!