Ronda Rousey Claims Women Are Headlining WWE Because Of Her As Becky Lynch Controversy Resurfaces

For decades, WWE's biggest matches and main events were dominated by male superstars, but that started to change when Ronda Rousey made the jump from UFC to WWE. Rousey brought in a ton of mainstream attention and star power, helped push women's wrestling further into the spotlight, and was a major part in women headlining marquee events.

Now, Rousey is stirring up controversy again after saying she is “very aware” that women are main eventing WWE because of her influence. Some fans credit her with helping to elevate the division, but others think several trailblazers also need to be given credit for women's evolution.

Ronda Rousey says she proved women's commercial value in WWE and combat sports 

Ronda Rousey knows women are headlining WWE because of her. Ahead of her MMA fight with Gina Carano on Saturday night at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, she told The Takedown on SI. She said women are also headlining and making big money in boxing because of her. 

“I'm very aware that women are headlining WWE because of me. That women are headlining and making big paydays in boxing because of me. In bare-knuckle boxing, in full-contact karate, in everything that's a contact sport. I'm very, very proud of seeing all the success the women are having, because I was able to prove their commercial viability, and everyone's trying to recapture that lightning in a bottle.”

Ironically, Rousey told ClutchPoints over Zoom before the fight that she hasn't felt the urge to fight the last nine years, even if it feels “somehow unfinished” for her in MMA. The fight drive will never leave her, but Rousey was happy with her family life. Fortunately, the door was open for a return when the opportunity arose. 

Rousey was also asked about her time in the company, as she had two runs in the company, 2017-2019 and then 2022-2023, where she was a Women's Raw, SmackDown, and Tag Team Champion. Rousey said while smiling: 

“Yeah, I had a great time. I love playing a real heel. Not trying to be the cool-guy heel, or trying to be like, ‘oh, this is just my character.' Because I feel like that's what kayfabe is now: people don't know the difference between the show and the reality, and I wanted to play that up as much as possible. I am me regardless of whether I'm in the ring or not.” 

Vince McMahon shocks WWE universe by removing Becky Lynch from WrestleMania clash with Ronda Rousey

Meanwhile, Becky Lynch has been stripped of her Wrestlemania match by Vince McMahon. After winning the 2019 Royal Rumble, the Irish Lass Kicker was poised to challenge Ronda Rousey for the Raw Women's Championship at the Show of Shows in April. 

With Lynch cleared to compete after a medical scare over a knee injury, and having apologised to Stephanie McMahon and Triple H for slapping them last week on Raw and SmackDown Live, the much-anticipated match seemed to be on. Only seconds after Stephanie and Triple H told Lynch she was going to Wrestlemania, out came Vince, and he dropped a bombshell. 

The Baddest Woman on the Planet returned to the main event portion of the red brand to discuss her Rumble victory and her plans for WrestleMania. Rousey said she still has business with both Lynch and SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair, whom she eliminated to claim the win Saturday night, and has been mulling over which one to challenge.