Ronda Rousey recently faced strong criticism over her remarks regarding her WWE career, specifically concerning her SummerSlam 2018 match against Alexa Bliss for the RAW Women’s Championship. Her comments sparked backlash that highlighted ongoing tensions surrounding respect within the wrestling business, particularly relating to the Randy Orton WWE respect issue.
Despite having successful runs as a WWE talent, Rousey has frequently voiced dissatisfaction about her matches and the company’s handling of her character. This has prompted notable figures within the wrestling community, including radio DJ and WWE analyst Peter Rosenberg, to publicly challenge her statements, stating that her criticism of fellow wrestler Alexa Bliss was unwarranted.
Peter Rosenberg Responds to Rousey’s Comments on Alexa Bliss and WWE Experience
On an episode of the “Wrestling With Rosenberg” podcast, Peter Rosenberg, alongside his co-host SGG, discussed recent remarks made by Rousey and Matt Riddle about their tenure in WWE. While Rosenberg acknowledged he didn’t personally dislike Rousey, he admitted to not enjoying her wrestling persona and took issue with her negative tone toward the company and fellow wrestlers.
Reflecting on Rousey’s public criticisms, Rosenberg said:
“Is it possible that Ronda Rousey and Matt Riddle could never talk again? [I would love that. I would love that. I mean, at least about pro wrestling. Speak on, you know. Yeah. How do you like your steak cartoons?] Yeah. I mean, listen, I don’t know how well they do in those departments, but like, yeah. Certainly not, but certainly not anything. I mean, the funniest thing about both is, and I say this always understanding there’s a risk that, like, they could come back or I don’t know, maybe WWE, there are people there who are important who really like Ronda Rousey. I don’t, I never have. I was not personally at the time. I always thought she carried herself fine. I never I didn’t have a lot of interaction with her. But I didn’t have anything bad to say about her at all, but I never enjoyed her as a character.”
—Peter Rosenberg, Radio DJ and WWE Panelist
Criticism of Rousey’s Attitude Toward Alexa Bliss and WWE’s Support
Rosenberg elaborated on how WWE invested significantly in Rousey, from assigning her the “Rowdy” Roddy Piper-inspired gimmick to providing high-profile production elements such as an expensive entrance theme and overall main-event treatment. Despite this, Rosenberg highlighted how Rousey’s narrative often revolves around complaints about her WWE stint rather than appreciation.
He criticized Rousey’s comments about Alexa Bliss, particularly where she appeared to demean Bliss’s role in the company, stating such remarks lacked respect for wrestlers who have dedicated themselves fully to the industry.
“I thought her in-ring work had a realism that made her potentially interesting, but you are talking about someone who came from another world with more hype than you could possibly imagine, then was gifted Rowdy Roddy Piper’s entire gimmick. Was given a fire expensive theme song to use, got all the bells and whistles, all the big treatment, everything that you could imagine. And all we hear her do is complain about her time in WWE. And I’m not saying she doesn’t say more than that. And it doesn’t make news. I bet she has said positive things, and people just don’t talk about it. And that is a shame on all of us. That is the way the world works. But SGG this week for her to sort of not sort of blatantly criticize the fact that she worked with Alexa Bliss as if Bliss was somehow beneath her was yet another example of just Ronda Rousey needing to pry her foot out of her mouth. And listen, maybe there’ll be an opportunity where someone, certainly worse things have been done, and people have been forgiven and came back. I’m not trying to say she is, you know, she should get the death penalty. Like, this is not the ultimate sin or anything, but like, can you just have a little class and not bury the people who work in the business day in and day out? This is a — This is a business that gave you a lot of money, a lot of fame, and you did quite well doing it, and you left when you wanted to. And I’m sure it wasn’t all perfect. Nobody’s job is.”
—Peter Rosenberg, Radio DJ and WWE Panelist
Rosenberg Challenges Rousey’s Status in Wrestling Compared to Legends Like Randy Orton
Further expressing frustration, Rosenberg contrasted Rousey’s wrestling accomplishments with those of established figures like Randy Orton and Batista, implying that these veterans would never disparage the business as she has. He emphasized that Rousey lacks the wrestling pedigree and longevity required to speak negatively about long-serving wrestlers like Alexa Bliss.
In particular, the discussion took aim at Rousey’s claim that her match against Bliss happened solely because Alexa was the top merchandise seller, which Rosenberg called hypocritical given Rousey’s own mainstream appeal coming from outside WWE.
“But SGG, I just I don’t know who she thinks she is to act as if you know, you’re not like Randy Orton or Batista, who, by the way, would never badmouth the business. [Right] Like who are you? I don’t I don’t get it. Like, criticize UFC fighters. No problem. You were an all-time great in MMA. You’re not an all-time great in wrestling. You’re not. So, like, you just don’t have the cache to say things about people like Bliss who have been around a lot and given their bodies and their time and their effort and leave their child every week to be on TV and go through a lot of different things personally and professionally to be a part of the business. It is incredibly disrespectful now for you to decide your time was up, and now you want to talk trash about the people who did it. I’m sorry. even if you were good enough to do it, you shouldn’t do it, and you weren’t good enough to do it. [And she’s a hypocrite, right? Because the quote, if I’m going to paraphrase, I don’t really remember it completely, but I think she was.] Here we go. I’ll give it to you. I’m going to read it to you verbatim. Ready? Kelly always has us prepared. [I see it. ‘The fact that they had me fighting Alexa Bliss at all was bleeping ridiculous. And you want to know why they had me against Alexa Bliss? Because she had the most merch sales at the time. Like, what the f? That’s your decision-making process?’] [And here’s why I call her a hypocrite. Because it’s actually Alexa Bliss who has the cache who should be saying something like this. The fact that they had Alexa Bliss fighting Ronda Rousey at all because Ronda Rousey came in with the name and was popular and had like some sort of ‘cultural cache,’ quote unquote, and ‘mainstream appeal,’ quote unquote. That’s the part that’s ridiculous that they put Alexa in the ring with Ronda and had Alexa go through that. It wasn’t any sight to Ronda. It’s actually a sight to Alexa. If you want to talk about how absurd their business is making and the decision-making process is that if you’re popular enough, you get to go at the champion who grinded her way from the bottom, did what she had to do, worked her way to the top, was beloved by her fans, as evidenced by those same merch sales that they’re pointing out and holding up to you that you get to just walk in because you’re popular somewhere else and you don’t have to go through that. The insult wasn’t to Ronda Rousey. The insult was to Alexa Bliss.]”
—Peter Rosenberg, Radio DJ and WWE Panelist
Significance and Ongoing Impact on Respect in WWE Culture
This controversy probes deeper issues in WWE regarding respect, legacy, and the transition of mainstream stars into professional wrestling. Rousey’s critical statements, especially about Alexa Bliss and WWE’s booking choices, have intensified debates about how newcomers from other industries should approach the wrestling world’s traditions and veterans.
Rosenberg’s comments underscore the importance of acknowledging the dedication and sacrifices of long-time performers who build their careers on the ground up, contrasting their experience with that of celebrities entering the ring with established fame. The situation highlights ongoing challenges within WWE’s culture around accepting criticism, respect between talent, and the treatment of wrestlers who may come from different backgrounds.
Looking forward, such conflicts are likely to shape dialogue about reputation management in wrestling and the value placed on respect within the industry, reinforcing the idea that public criticism should be measured and considerate toward peers who invest years into their craft. Ronda Rousey’s remarks and the ensuing backlash serve as a reminder to all talents about the delicate balance between personal expression and professional respect in the world of WWE.
