Former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey spoke with The Kingston-Whig Standard about various topics.
Rousey is set to team up with Kurt Angle to take on Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in a Mixed Tag Team Match at WrestleMania 34. During the interview, she was asked about learning to be a pro wrestler.
“Mastering new skills is one of the things that motivates me the most. At first I related it a lot to (movie) stunt work and fight choreography. The more that I get into everything, though they’re very related, it is completely different. I’m completely amazed at what these athletes are really able to do, not just physically, but mentally.
They can make up these entire matches by just talking to each other about it for five minutes — and they barely do anything physical to each other — and then they just walk out and put on these incredible matches. If we were to film the exact same thing for a movie, it would have to have been drilled for six weeks straight and probably have taken about three different takes before we even got one good one. I’m just blown away every day at what everybody in this business is capable of. I’m trying my best to learn. I pride myself on being a great student, but of course it also takes time and it’s hard to learn something from scratch with the whole world watching.”
The latest signee for the sports entertainment company was spearheaded by WWE Chairman Vince McMahon’s daughter, Stephanie, and her husband, Triple H. Since making her official main roster debut at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view event, the company has put a lot of faith and pressure in making this a top storyline on television.
“I really believe that if and when I apply everything that I have to this industry, I feel like I can be an asset. I’m trying my absolute best and that’s the best I can do and the best that I can do could change the world sometimes. We’ll see what this does.”
“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity. To be honest, sometimes I can’t believe my own life and the stuff that is happening. I really feel like I’m investing every bit of myself into this and I really feel like the company is matching my effort in every way. If I’m pouring every ounce of energy I have into this being a success and they’re doing everything they can to set me up for success, all I can do is go out there and prove them right for believing in me. Yeah, it’s a lot of pressure and probably a crazy and unrealistic amount of pressure to put on someone for their first match ever, but you know what, if anyone in the world can handle it, I believe it can be me.”
