Ronda Rousey Reveals Original Presentation Plans Upon WWE Return

"I was supposed to come back as a heel!"

Ronda Rousey did not expect people to be happy about her 2022 Women's Royal Rumble win. The WWE Smackdown Women's Champion recently spoke with former UFC Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier on "The DC Check-In," and said that the intensely positive reaction she received from the St. Louis, MO crowd completely flipped the script on her and WWE's plans for her return.

"Vince was like, 'Well, they popped for her real big so she's a babyface now,'" Rousey continued. The former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion said that she attended the following WWE "Raw" expecting to be continuing her intended heel run but was told, "'No, no, no, no, you need to smile, you need to stop being a bitch,'" much to Rousey's chagrin.

"I love being a bitch," Rousey cackled. "It's my outlet for bitchery. And they're like, 'Yeah, you got to pull back a little bit.'" Rousey went on to win the WWE Smackdown Women's Championship on May 8th, defeating Charlotte Flair in an "I Quit" match at WrestleMania Backlash. It is the former WWE Raw Women's Champion's first reign with the title.

Prior to the Rumble, Rousey hadn't wrestled for WWE since April of 2019 and says that she was so focused on her return and the possible negative reaction, that a lot of the Royal Rumble match ran off her like water off a duck's back. "I came out with my guard up," she said, "and I think I didn't get to enjoy that moment because I was guarded."

Rousey describes blocking out the huge ovation that she got from the crowd, not letting them in. "I think I kind of missed out on really enjoying that moment because I was expecting the worst in people."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The DC Check-In" and give a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.