Taz Thinks Ronda Rousey Taking Time Off After Only One Year Is 'Insulting'
On the latest episode of The Taz Show, Taz discussed Ronda Rousey announcing that she will take time off from WWE to start a family with her husband Travis Browne. Taz feels that this decision to leave after only being a full-time competitor for a year is "insulting" to other female talent.
"I gotta tell ya. It's a little tough to swallow," said Taz. "Because, look, she's entitled to do whatever she wants, I understand that. But she's been in the game for a year, and she's got pushed to the moon, and skyrocketed because of her credibility and her legitimacy over the years in the MMA game and now is a UFC Hall of Famer and all these other great accolades she has. And she's earned every one of them, I'm not knocking her for that. But to take a break from the business after a year is a little tough for a lot of the lifers in the game, and people who follow that business and respect the business."
Regarding a celebrity coming into the wrestling business and leaving shortly after, Taz stated, "it's insulting to the people that this is their lifestyle. Being a professional wrestler, no matter if you're in the WWE or anywhere else, is your life. It's not a job. I never looked at all my years in the ring or even segueing into broadcasting, I never looked at that as a job. I looked at it as a career, but it's part of my life, it just encompassed my job. It wasn't a 9 to 5 gig."
Taz feels that Rousey got "her hand held" while in WWE, because she was "always protected... from her first match on." While her debut match at WrestleMania 34 was widely received with positive reviews, Taz agreed that it was a good match, but Rousey "had two of the best workers in modern history in Triple H and Kurt Angle having her back, and Stephanie [McMahon] with a ton of heat who knows what she's doing." He added that WWE did everything possible to get her over, and commends her for starting a family, but feels that there have been many women wrestlers who have done a lot to bring awareness to the division to rid misconceptions.
"The revolution for women's wrestling didn't start with Ronda Rousey," said Taz. "It started way before that... Ronda Rousey definitely helped bring some casual fan awareness because of her star power as an MMA or UFC fighter, I get all that, and I think that's cool. That was great, but, the women's revolution for pro wrestling it started way before Ronda Rousey."
Although Taz admits Rousey did bring awareness to the women's division, "WWE did just as much for her, if not [more], and the girls she worked with, to get her over, and to give her that platform."
Taz does not think that Rousey will miss WWE, or the WWE Universe, because they "were vocal, and all over her." As a result of the reaction towards that latter part of her tenure, Taz feels that Rousey was affected by that.
Source: The Taz Show