Even though Ronda Rousey didn’t claim WWE gold at Money in the Bank it was yet another windfall moment for the UFC Hall of Famer. However, her second crack at the RAW Women’s Championship may already be scheduled.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Rousey will be in the RAW Championship match at SummerSlam. She’ll presumably meet the winner of Nia Jax and Alexa Bliss’ Extreme Rules match.
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SummerSlam is two months away, and Rousey will spend half of that time suspended thanks to her obliterating Bliss, Kurt Angle and a swarm of referees at RAW this week. However, her involvement in the championship scene should surprise no one.
WrestleMania 34 proved that Rousey’s arrival in WWE was astronomically more than a publicity stunt. But her performance at Money in the Bank solidified her status as one of WWE’s top stars. While a win at MITB may have been WWE jumping the shark, Rousey’s inclusion in the SummerSlam championship match will draw far less criticism. Without question, Rousey has reached the point where her main event status is undeniable.
In the meantime, it will be interesting to see if Rousey abides by her 30-day suspension. WWE likely is feeling the itch to make her a female anti-authority figure a la Steve Austin, and her crashing RAW before her suspension lifts can be considered likely.
However, Kurt Angle put out a stiff warning to Rousey on Tuesday. While the language was a little abstract, it may be enough to keep Rousey from jumping a RAW guardrail to smash Bliss.
“…if this ever occurs again, do not forget who I am, and what I’m capable of. That’s not a threat, it’s the truth,” wrote Angle in reference to Rousey’s RAW madness.
Rousey suspension finished up a few days after Extreme Rules, but her first eligible TV appearance won’t come until the July 23 episode of RAW.
Given the current story brewing between Rousey and Bliss, it’s likely that the latter retains against Jax. Even though Jax and Rousey’s match was fantastic, it’s Bliss who will be able to play a better villain in Rousey’s quest to become champion. There’s always the chance SummerSlam hosts a triple threat, but regardless of who else is in the match, consider Rousey a heavy favorite to leave Brooklyn as Raw Women’s Champion.
