Ronda Rousey Defends Controversial ‘Wrestling is Fake’ Remarks

Ronda Rousey parted ways with WWE after her match against Shayna Baszler at SummerSlam last year, but Rousey has always been controversial one way or the other. In fact, she defended her controversial ‘wrestling is fake’ comments.

In 2019, just weeks before her main-event match at WrestleMania 35, Ronda Rousey went on a rant during a travel vlog on her YouTube channel. She admitted that she didn’t stick to the scripted promo given to her and bluntly stated that wrestling was ‘fake.’ By the end of the video, she even suggested that no one in the locker room could challenge her.

While speaking to Ring the Belle, Ronda Rousey was asked about her controversial comments that pro wrestling is fake. Ronda Rousey explains why she called wrestling fake. She says it’s hard because wrestlers often separate their on-screen character from their real self. In the ring, they use their character names, but in interviews, they use their real names. Rousey, on the other hand, mixes her real self with her character, switching between being herself and being Rowdy.

Rousey believes that in today’s world, where fans have constant access to celebrities, everything public can be part of the show. She mentions Chael Sonnen as a great example of an MMA bad guy who was very good at making people dislike him. Rousey recalls Sonnen telling her not to admit when she’s just saying things to promote a fight. Sonnen advised her to keep fans guessing about what’s real and what’s just for show. Rousey agrees and says she will keep her true intentions hidden, even if she says things to provoke reactions.

“That’s difficult, yeah. Well, I think that people, they have the disadvantage of when they’re in the ring, they are by their ring name, and when they’re in an interview, they’re by their real name. I’m just Ronda Rousey all the time, and I really feel like the interview setting is part of the performance; it’s not separate. And so, a lot of people completely separate it, and they’re like, ‘Oh, I’m in the ring, I’m in character. Oh, I’m out of the ring, I’m out of character.’ And I purposely try to blend that at all times. I’ll be myself, then I’ll be Rowdy, and then I’ll go back and forth. I’ll start a sentence as myself, then end it as the heel, you know, and really kind of blur it all the time instead of setting that really clear distinction between one and the other.

Because we’re in the information age where everyone is getting information from these stars all the time, to me, anything that’s public is fair game for part of the performance. It was actually Chael Sonnen, I will give it to him, like one of the greatest MMA heels of all time. He was really, really good at getting people to hate his guts. And one thing, like I was talking to him, like, wow, God, really early on, like back in the Strikeforce days, and he was like, ‘Don’t you ever do that thing at the end of the fight where they’re like, “Oh, you know, sorry about everything, I was just saying whatever to promote the fight.” It’s like, don’t you ever admit it, don’t you ever just tell everybody that you took them for a ride, and don’t you ever let them know what you said that was purposefully to get a reaction.’

So, I’ll let you know, like, yeah, there are times I’m saying s*** just to get a reaction out of you. I’m never going to tell you exactly what it was; you’re going to have to guess. That’s part of the adventure; you’re going to have to try and sort that out.”

Ronda Rousey already made it clear that she would consider making return to WWE under Triple H’s regime. Nonetheless, we’ll have to see what the future holds for Ronda Rousey as the world is truly his oyster.

What did you think of Ronda Rousey’s defense of her controversial remarks? Do you empathize with her? Sound off in the comments section below!

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