Should I Be Booing Ronda Rousey?
Rousey threatens to pull Stephanie McMahon's arm out of its socket. Courtesy of WWE and NBCUniversal
So we’re a few days past Elimination Chamber and one week removed from Rousey’s ‘do-over’ promo on Monday Night Raw. One thought that keeps ringing in my head is “Why are WWE fans so cruel?”
Why do they love to prey on the fresh, nervous pleas for love by newly acquired WWE talent?
Why aren’t some granted the opportunity to prove themselves? They can show us what they can do before we condemn the individual to a shower of boo’s?
I had all of these thoughts and questions because of Rowdy Ronda Rousey’s first attempt to address the crowd. She wanted to tell them how hard she wants to work for their approval. How much this opportunity meant to her. How she could’ve been handed more and gone elsewhere, but she wanted to stop from the bottom of the WWE roster opposed to any other (more lucrative alternative). However, the crowd’s reaction to Rousey’s words started strong and harsh. This reaction looked to overwhelm her and caused an unfortunate loss of focus. This was her first attempt to grab a microphone and set her character and career in motion and we (as WWE fans) made it difficult. Too difficult. I have a problem with this…but should I?
I said we, as WWE fans, because I am guilty of this action. I am guilty of booing Mr. Roman Reigns. Booing him in the past, the present, and realized at the end of Elimination Chamber, I’ll be booing him at WrestleMania.
The Big Dog will now boast a 4th straight WrestleMania main event match and, according to Reigns at last night’s Raw, he does it because he cares about us and he cares about the business. I couldn’t help but gag when he said that.
BUT WHY?!?!
Why did I know that Reigns was going to win Elimination Chamber, yet I still felt ill as he began to roll through his “Roman Ridiculousness” of Superman Punches and Spears to put down Braun Strowman? Maybe some of it was Braun’s amazing performance and pinning the other five men competing. While there is merit there, the feeling in my stomach was all too familiar.
Roman cocks his forearm. My stomach: *Gurgle gurgle*
Roman yells “OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA” *RumbleGurgleGRLLERGELLR*
Strowman stumbles around the ring…waiting to get tackled *RrrrrrrrrrrNNNOOOOOOOOORRRRrrrrrrrr*
Through all of the tummy bubbles, that I thought only a ‘Crave Case’ from White Castle could accomplish, Roman had put down Strowman. Every feeling I had during previous Royal Rumbles, previous WrestleMania main events, and every other monumental moment for Roman leading up to this one, came back up.
This is a guy who has done so much for the shows I watch, the company I love, and industry I spend so much of free time devoted to. He has proven (according to the story) that he is the best in the business. He should be getting everything coming to him. But I still couldn’t stand watching Roman take the win and become the new number one contender for the WWE Universal Championship. At least in the way they did it.
When I go back to thinking about Rousey, I see her as someone who grew up loving the sport of wrestling, has had proven success in the Octagon, and wanted to do so well by us (the WWE fans) that she stumbled, lost her words, and fell victim to boo’s. But am I so misguided that I’ve failed to recognize Roman is almost the same? Only lacking that experience in Mixed Martial Arts? And that’s also forgetting Roman comes with the wrestling pedigree and a background in college and (sort of) pro football.
I’m not sure if I’m asking the WWE Universe to be less cruel or I need to stop being a hypocrite (either becoming a fan of Roman or being more critical of Rousey). What I do know is that both of these individuals are incredible talents. The handling of their careers and more specifically, their matches, is incredibly important. So far, Rousey has been handled well, from a reactionary standpoint. When we saw she might struggle with promos, we equipped with her fists and fury. Obviously it could south at any moment, but is that enough reason to forcibly rattle her into “promo submission”?
Roman, however, has been around for a longer period of time and I still struggle with putting a finger on what the WWE wants to do with Roman…outside of ensuring he leads every WrestleMania main event. Any changes to his character feel forced. The feeling is very easy to detect. And it being so easy to detect makes me want to hate it. My instincts say that it could be better, so the bodily reaction is bubbly tummy, eye rolling, and sighing.
Before Roman left the shield, I’d like to think I was as favorable to his character and his future as I feel to Rousey now. I wanted him to beat Batista at the Royal Rumble. I loved seeing him Power bomb his competitors through every announce table. I even gasped when Seth Rollins smashed Roman from behind with a chair. It was only when he became too powerful…and too predictable that I turned against him. Missing most of a year and winning “Superstar of the Year”, the Rock coming to Roman’s aid, and all shenanigans to make him look strong (like leaving the ring area to catch his breath).
Today, I don’t understand where the boos for Rousey come from. I suppose we just need to hope that she doesn’t get pushed too high. She doesn’t look too powerful and in turn, too predictable. That is something to boo. Rousey coming to say hello, so we can start to believe in a WrestleMania feud…doesn’t qualify for boo’s.
The idea of heading into next year’s Elimination Chamber, knowing a year in advance who would be the victor, and then having a fun match lose its fun because that proposed victor needed to start winning…well…that’s just bad TV.
In the end, maybe this is a plea that we ‘boo’ laziness and bad writing to get a better program. Not just booing because we worry what could happen. There is the possibility that Rousey turns into Rowdy Ronda Reigns, but until then, I’m gonna get excited when the ‘baddest woman on the planet’ comes to ring to bash skulls and rip arms out of sockets. You don’t have to do the same…but maybe ask yourself what the end game is when you boo. Is it for better TV…OR…is it a petty request to see your favorite get more TV time?
Remember, the Women’s revolution in the WWE doesn’t happen if Rousey isn’t successful and social media didn’t blow up during every one of her matches.
Matthew Klink (@klinkmatt on Twitter)
@BODPodcast for Twitter and Facebook
