Video: Ronda Rousey Wins Pro-Wrestling Debut At WrestleMania 34
With the eye of the mixed martial arts (MMA) world on the chaos of UFC 223, former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey made her pro-wrestling debut at tonight’s (Sun. April 8, 2018) WrestleMania XXXIV from New Orleans, Louisiana.
Teaming up with fellow former Olympic medalist Kurt Angle, Rousey took on WWE executives Stephanie McMahon and her husband, Paul “Triple H” Levesque in a mixed tag-team match.
It was one of more awaited WWE debuts for some time, and Rousey delivered on the hype in a big way.
First, she got the crowd going wild with her walkout in honor of former WWE champion “Rowdy” Roddy Piper:
#WrestleMania just got ROWDY!@RondaRousey is ready. pic.twitter.com/dQ038j1Eed
— WWE (@WWE) April 9, 2018
That lead to a so-called ‘surreal’ face-off between the four competitors in the center of the squared circle:
This is SURREAL.#WrestleMania @RealKurtAngle @RondaRousey @TripleH @StephMcMahon pic.twitter.com/ASgi49h37l
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) April 9, 2018
And after some initial offense from McMahon and Levesque, Rousey finally got her chance to rush in on the action, and he wasted no time doing so against McMahon:
AND HERE WE GO! #TeamRousey#WrestleMania @RondaRousey pic.twitter.com/ScNSwhcfKE
— WWE (@WWE) April 9, 2018
“Rowdy” was then able to get McMahon in a compromising position for her trademark armbar:
RIGHT where she wants her.#WrestleMania @RondaRousey pic.twitter.com/ky8zWiN9Zl
— WWE WrestleMania (@WrestleMania) April 9, 2018
Then, Rousey showed some scripted boxing skills, the exact area of her once-feared MMA game that unfortunately lead to her downfall, by nailing Triple H with a nonstop torrent of rapid punches:
ROWDY @RondaRousey is PLAYING THE GAME!#WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/1vBO7aiigG
— WWE WrestleMania (@WrestleMania) April 9, 2018
She showed some newly-acquired pro-wrestling skills as well, flowing well and slamming McMahon like a natural:
Looks like all that #WrestleMania training that @RondaRousey has been doing just might pay off… she is DOMINATING on The #GrandestStageOfThemAll! pic.twitter.com/1pwXIFZvti
— WWE (@WWE) April 9, 2018
Finally, Rousey got McMahon in a brutal armbar for the finish, leading to a monstrous debut victory alongside Angle and a round of celebration with the fans:
VICTORY for @RondaRousey & @RealKurtAngle as the ROWDY one makes @StephMcMahon TAP OUT! #WrestleMania #TeamRousey pic.twitter.com/wfT2pden9W
— WWE (@WWE) April 9, 2018
Time for some VICTORY HIGH FIVES for #TeamRousey!#WrestleMania @RondaRousey @RealKurtAngle pic.twitter.com/cpFm8Mweoy
— WWE WrestleMania (@WrestleMania) April 9, 2018