Zelina Vega shared her thoughts on WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey.
Following her arrival at WWE Royal Rumble 2018, “The Baddest Woman on the Planet” quickly became one of the company’s stars in her first run with the company. After WrestleMania 35, she took some time away, and she welcomed her daughter, La’akea Makalapuaokalanipō Browne, into the world in September 2021.
Rousey returned to WWE at Royal Rumble 2022, and she has won the SmackDown Women’s Championship twice in this second run, which has been the source of some criticism.
During an appearance on the That’s Dope podcast, when one of the hosts noted that he saw “tabloids” that a former MMA fighter didn’t want to work with a performer because they were too rough, Vega spoke up and praised Rousey. She spoken highly of the WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion.
“Honestly, I love Ronda. I absolutely love Ronda,” Vega said. “Here’s the thing. She wasn’t just some bozo off the street who’s decided to do this on a Tuesday. She was one of the best, like one of the absolute best. If she made that career change to go into WWE, that brings in her fans, that misses our fans of hers, and it’s something that people don’t get to see usually. ‘I would love to see how she matches up with this person’ or whatever.
“The people who get mad that Ronda’s there are the people who are upset that they’re not getting that opportunity. To me, anyway, she’s been nothing but sweet. She’s been nothing but respectful. She puts in the work, and she’s a gamer, so I love that. But she’s super sweet and super cool.”
Vega also gave Rousey credit for taking criticism from both UFC and WWE fans. She made it clear that she doesn’t like it when people harshly criticize Rousey, and she pointed out that the former UFC star makes money for WWE.
“I feel that, when it comes to people who are not stoked that she’s there, I give her credit because it only does she have to get s—- from the fans of UFC, but she also gets s—-from the wrestling fans and WWE” Vega said. “She just says, ‘Screw it. I’m just gonna do this and have fun doing it.’
“Ultimately, it’s her life, and I hate that people get so, ‘I hate that she’s there and she’s sh——g on the business’. I’m like okay, but regardless, she is bringing money. So, can you?”
When asked if Rousey is rough in the ring, Vega noted that she has never been in the ring with her, so she can’t say. But she emphasized her belief that Rousey would never hurt anyone on purpose, and she has a different scale of “rough” due to her UFC background.
“I’ve never been in the ring with her in that sense where I’ve taken any moves from her,” Rousey said. “So I can’t say if she’s rough or not. However, she does have a background of UFC, so it’s like what’s rough to her… and vice versa. I do think that the girls, they like to match it, and anybody who I’ve seen her get in the ring with, if she’s done something to them and I can kinda see like, ‘Oh, that might have been a little…,’ they match it.
“It’s tit for tat, really. But I have never been in the ring with her, so I can’t say. But I will say, if they have gotten hurt or something has happened, I can’t see it being on purpose. I cannot see that from Ronda. She’s just too good of a person that I’ve gotten to know, that I don’t see her being malicious. I don’t see her trying to take s— out on people or specifically trying to hurt people for any reason. Everybody has their own personal relationships with people, but I love that she’s with us.”
RELATED: Ronda Rousey Pitched Thumbtack Spot At Extreme Rules But It Was Turned Down
