A Look Back at UFC Prez Dana White’s Reaction to Ronda’s WrestleMania In-Ring Debut
UFC President Dana White and Ronda Rousey are one of the most polarizing and influential pairs in MMA history. Their close friendship, beyond their business relationship, is what truly allowed the two to break down barriers in MMA and the UFC.
“I say it all the time and I’ll say it again – she’s one of the greatest athletes I’ve ever worked with and she’s done a lot for this company and for me personally,” White said in an interview.
That bond is what ultimately made White change his stance on women competing in the Octagon and made Ronda one of the biggest names in MMA history. That friendship is also a major reason White was one of the biggest supporters of Ronda’s decision to leave MMA behind and train for a full-time career in the WWE.
Her seamless transition from MMA to WWE Superstar came as a shock to many, even Dana. Ronda managed to wow the entire WWE universe with her in-ring debut at WrestleMania 34. It took very little time to see that she was a natural inside of the squared circle and that her athleticism would allow her to shorten the learning curve many people thought she’d face.
In her debut, she was paired with another former Olympian, WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle, and took on WWE power couple Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. Her in-ring interaction with Stephanie was fluid, but it was her ability to stand toe-to-toe with Triple H that really opened the eyes of both hardcore and casual fans.
Dana White was hard-pressed to hold back his feelings of pride and admiration for Ronda’s performance. Above all else, Dana made it known that he was happy that Ronda was back to having fun – even if it wasn’t in a UFC Octagon.
“She accomplished everything she could at
Check out the WWE Network to watch Ronda’s debut and WrestleMania 34 in full.