Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania. (From Instagram: @rondarousey) By Rafael Bandayrel For five years, Ronda Rousey was regarded as the most dangerous woman on the planet. In 2015, Sports Illustrated's most dominant athlete as she strung together 12 wins including eight straight finishes using her signature armbar submission. Her career took a dark turn, however, after a couple of consecutive knockout loses to Holly Holm and current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes. Since then, Rousey never bounced back and completely disappeared from the mixed martial arts (MMA) world. Two years after her final match in the Octagon, Rousey emerged in a different ring. She made a surprise appearance at World Wrestling Entertainment’s (WWE) Royal Rumble in 2018, signaling the start of her new venture. Roadblocks Stephanie McMahon stretches Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 34 (From Instagram: @rondarousey) Concerns had been raised when it was announced that Rousey would make her in-ring debut in the grandest event of pro-wrestling, WrestleMania. She teamed-up with on-screen Raw general manager Kurt Angle against WWE's real-life power couple Stephanie McMahon and Triple H. Nobody doubted Rousey’s athleticism but it was the psychology and intricacies of performing that had people worried. Another concern was the fan reception. Today’s wrestling fans have the tendency to reject wrestlers who obviously have the management’s backing. This is the reason why fans boo wrestlers like Roman Reigns and John Cena despite being portrayed as a protagonist. The unpredictable mood of the WWE Universe coupled with Rousey’s admitted suicidal tendency caused serious concerns for people close to Rousey. Rising to the occasion Ronda Rousey lifts Triple H at WrestleMania 34 (From Instagram: @rondarousey) Rousey was victorious – not only in storyline – in her first WWE match last Sunday, at WrestleMania 34. The team of Rousey and Angle walked away victorious when the former UFC champ brought back her signature armbar to make McMahon tap-out. Rousey’s larger victory, however, was getting the respect of skeptics. She understandably did not look like a polished performer but displayed promise with her in-ring awareness and character work. She looked like she belonged. As a bonus, the same crowd who chanted “this is awful” and “boring” in the main (Universal Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Reigns) embraced Rousey as they showered her with cheers. Rousey’s moniker is “Rowdy”, a nickname she borrowed from WWE Hall-of-Famer Roddy Piper, whom she grew up idolizing. In her debut, Rousey paid tribute to her deceased hero by sporting gear that resembled his. When everything is said and done, Rousey will join her hero in the WWE’s hall-of-fame. And the heights that Rousey has reached in her MMA, Hollywood, and current careers, it is not too early to call.