Ronda Rousey’s rowdiest moments in her WWE rookie year

7. Nia Jax

With Rousey having built her name in the MMA and UFC it’s difficult pitting her against opponents who could believably give her a run for her money. Enter Nia Jax. Standing at 6-feett-tall and weighing  272 pounds, Jax had the size and strength that Rousey never tangled with before. Jax’s imposing presence and brutal in-ring style gave her the merit needed to challenge Rousey on two separate occasions.

The first match went down at Money in the Bank while Jax was a babyface and the Raw Women’s Champion. It was a test for Rousey in many ways. This would be her first title opportunity in the WWE and her first big singles match on a major event. Rousey already surpassed expectations in her debut at WrestleMania 34 and showed promise in the few dust-ups she’d had on Monday Night Raw but how would she fare now with the much larger Jax?

The commentary team made a point of letting the viewers at home know Rousey had never faced someone who outweighed her. In MMA, matches are built around weight classes; in WWE they’re built around story. In this story it was Rousey being able to overcome the odds to win the Raw Women’s Championship. That story played out beautifully in a well-paced match where each athlete showcased the strengths of their abilities.

To Rousey’s credit she took risks, including her first top rope cross body, that showed she was willing to do anything it took to get the match over. The move came into play during Jax vs. Rousey 2 at TLC in 2018. This time Rousey would dive from the top turnbuckle outside to the floor. Both matches against Jax were exceptional, applauded by both audiences and prominent names in the business. Rousey was showing her worth as an in-ring competitor not just a name thrust into the spotlight.