By David G. Firestone
As has been brought up many times on this blog and my former podcast, I am a pro wrestling fan. I get that it’s not real, but most of the stuff on TV isn’t. Wrestling is a sport in much the same way Game of Thrones was an award winning documentary of life in the medieval era. Fans get that. But sometimes, things become real backstage or in the public eye.
This column started in August when Ronda Rousey apologized for her views on the Sandy Hook shooting in 2013. In this apology, which, by her own admission is “11 years too late” she states the following:
“But honestly I deserve to be hated, labeled, detested and worse for it. I deserve to lose out on every opportunity, I should have been canceled, I would have deserved it. I still do. I apologize that this came 11 years too late, but to those affected by the Sandy Hook massacre, from the bottom of my heart and depth of my soul I am so sorry for the hurt I caused.”
I was kind of amazed. Not because she actually apologized, but because she seems to have some level of self-awareness. Listening to her on interviews and on social media, she seems thoroughly convinced that her runs in WWE deserved better. She believes that WWE let her down. She thinks that WWE going with Logan Paul, and giving him resources to get better is hypocritical.
Well Ronda, here is a piece of advice that will serve you well. If everything smells like dogshit, check your shoes. Your incessant complaining about your failed runs in WWE overlook the fact that YOU AND YOU ALONE were the problem. You got a big contract from WWE, the pushed you to the moon. You were uninteresting and untalented in the ring, and, when the fans turned on you, you couldn’t handle it.
The big problem though is the fact that WWE had to humble you. Your ego was so big it could be seen in the next time zone, and you felt that merely being Ronda Rousey was enough to sustain your place at the top of the card. You needed a reminder that you work for WWE, not the other way around. Any contract for any wrestling or MMA promotion is an investment. They invest in you, and they expect a return. You almost went out of your way to deny them an investment. Of course they humbled you, what other option did they have?
I get so tired of wrestlers who think they are bigger than WWE for whatever reason. WWE has been around since the January 7, 1953. It will still be the biggest wrestling promotion long after you are gone. You are NOT bigger than WWE! If WWE can cut ties with Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Vince McMahon, you really think you are above them? KFC and Colonel Sanders officially parted ways, Men’s Wearhouse outed the founder of the company, Apple ousted Steve Jobs at one point, it can happen.
Rousey is not the only example. The Grizzled Young Veterans were very open about how they were used in NXT, and Gail Kim has been VERY vocal about how she felt that she was used during here time in WWE. It’s kind of amazing how many wrestlers feel entitled to jobs, and feel like they should have full creative control. Yeah, Hulk Hogan had full creative control, and we saw how that worked out.
This is a cautionary tale about getting a new job. I’ve seen this before. I don’t care who you were at your previous company, when you start a new job, you are the NKOTB, or New Kid On The Block. You have to accept that what you want and what the company wants is not always the same thing. The smart ones figure this out and play by the rules. The selfish ones complain about it, and act entitled.
I also want to talk about her gripes with Logan Paul as a wrestler. Say what you want about Logan Paul, he has proven that he is better than Ronda Rousey on every level in WWE. Less time, fewer matches, better on every level, Logan Paul has proven his worth to WWE, and has more than returned their investment. Ronda Rousey has not, and her ego can’t let her admit it.
Come on Ronda, don’t you think that if you were as good as you thought you are that you wouldn’t have gotten released? Don’t you think you’d still be in the main event? Don’t you think the fans would have loved and accepted you? You were the reason you failed. You were reckless in the ring, you were boring, and the fans grew tired of you. Furthermore, you never actually improved at all. Do you honestly think that every WWE fan got sick of you for no reason?
It’s not just wrestling fans, but a lot of MMA fans were sick of her delusional narcissism as well. Which leads me to believe that her career is over. I doubt UFC will resign here, and it’s a given that WWE has fully cut ties. So where else to go? AEW? Well that would make sense, since she would fit in with the rest of the spoiled brats that Tony Khan is giving large paychecks to. Personally, she should just go away forever, and nothing of value will be lost.
Back to news next week.
Source Cited:
The Driver Suit Blog 