NIKKI BELLA says Ronda Rousey’s WWE debut was a “slap in the face” for women’s wrestling.

Rousey, 33, left the UFC in 2016 after back-to-back losses and eventually made the switch to WWE before being unveiled at the 2018 Royal Rumble.

Nikki Bella said Ronda Rousey’s WWE debut was a ‘slap in the face’ for women’s wrestlingCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Rousey was unveiled as a WWE superstar at the 2018 Royal RumbleCredit: Getty Images – Getty

It was the first year to feature a women’s rumble match, a landmark occasion for WWE divas.And while Bella, 36, welcomed the arrival of Rousey, she believes having the rookie steal the headlines at the historic event was unfair.

She wrote in her book: “It was nothing against Ronda — it is thrilling that she is at WWE — but it was a bit of a slap in the face to all the historic women wrestlers who had come out for the match, the main event, only to have the moment upstaged by the Ronda announcement.

“It just didn’t need to happen like that.”

Rousey went on to make her in-ring debut at WrestleMania 34, partnering with Kurt Angle to beat Triple H and Stephanie McMahon.

It was nothing against Ronda — it is thrilling that she is at WWE — but it was a bit of a slap in the face to all the historic women wrestlers who had come out for the match, the main event, only to have the moment upstaged by the Ronda announcement.
Nikki Bella On Ronda Rousey’s WWE Debut

Within a year Rousey had won the Raw Women’s Championship and main-evented WrestleMania 35, losing her belt to Becky Lynch in a triple threat also involving Charlotte Flair, which was the first women’s match to headline the flagship event.

The former UFC champion quit the WWE in late 2019, and has ruled out returning on a permanent basis due to feeling unappreciated while working a hectic schedule away from home.

Rousey said on the Wild Ride podcast: “What am I doing it for if I’m not being able to spend my time and energy on my family, but instead spending my time and my energy on a bunch of f****** ungrateful fans that don’t even appreciate me?

“The thing is, I love performing. I love the girls. I love being out there. But, at the end of the day, I was just like, ‘F*** these fans, dude.’

“My family loves me. They appreciate me. I want all of my energy to go into them.”

“People think you’re only wrestling as much as they see you on TV, but they don’t realize that there’s three or four other days of live shows during the week. If I looked at all the live shows, I was only home a day and a half a week.

“I’ll never be full time again – over 200 days a year on the road like that ever again.”

Rousey’s former rival Bella also left the WWE in 2019, after a cyst had been found on her brain, but announced in January that she is expecting her first child.

Ronda Rousey hints at WWE return with Becky Lynch feud after X-rated ‘bulls***’ rant over her Battlegrounds rating

RONDA ROUSEY has dropped a huge hint she could return to WWE after launching an X-rated rant at old rival Becky Lynch.

The former UFC superstar is still under contract with Vince McMahon’s company but has not competed since WrestleMania 35 in April 2019.

WWE fans are getting excited over the prospect of a future match between Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey
Rousey, 33, Lynch and Charlotte Flair made history that night by becoming the first females to ever compete in the main event of Mania.

It was Lynch who stole the show though, controversially pinning ‘Rowdy’ to become both the Raw and SmackDown Women’s champion.

Rousey has since stated her intention to start a family with her partner Travis Browne but was spotted training recently, sparking rumours of a potential return to the ring.

Meanwhile, Lynch is also currently out of action after announcing in April she and her fiance Seth Rollins were expecting their first child.

Despite their respective absences from TV, the war of words has always continued between the two women.

And Rousey has cranked it up again as she recently streamed WWE 2K Battlegrounds on her Facebook page.

The ‘Baddest Woman on the Planet’ took a shot at ‘The Man’ during the stream, and decided to not open her box while playing the game.

And she was even less thrilled when she discovered Lynch’s rating on the game was 92, the same as her own.

Rousey said: “They gave Becky the same as me? She knows that’s bull***t. You know that’s some bull***t.

“I’m gonna leave Becky Lynch’s box alone. I don’t want no ginger box, nobody does.

“Except for maybe Seth Rollins, but you know… that’s his thing.”

The furious row between the pair began in the build-up to WrestleMania as Lynch took a shot at her rival’s husband Browne.

He then fired back by calling Becky by her real name as he also slammed WWE.

Despite their mammoth clash in the triple threat match, the WWE Universe have still not got to see the duo go at it one-on-one.