Ronda Rousey widely praised for better-than-expected WrestleMania showing

RONDA Rousey had never wrestled before. Despite being a long-reigning UFC champion she’d never competed in front of 75,000 fans either.

But like she did while becoming the most feared woman on the planet during her mixed martial arts career, Rousey showed an ability to perform on the big stage at WrestleMania 34.

After signing with the WWE earlier in January, all eyes were on Rousey as she debuted in a mixed tag team match which saw her and fellow Olympian Kurt Angle pitted against Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. She crushed it.

“This match was excellent and Rousey at no point looked out of her element, she was crisp in just about everything,” pro wrestling insider Dave Meltzer wrote.

“The crowd was as hot for this as any ‘Mania match in a few years, maybe since Daniel Bryan’s Mania a few years ago. They went more than (20 minutes) with the crowd on fire most of the way ... This was one of the better pro wrestling debuts I’ve ever seen.”

Rousey made an eye-catching, paying tribute to legend Rowdy Roddy Piper by wearing not only his jacket — but also a kilt.

She was relegated to spectator duties for the early stages of the match as Angle was pummelled by Triple H.

But when she finally got her shot at McMahon she made the most of it, hitting her with clotheslines, judo tosses and punching combinations.

McMahon fought back but had to be saved by Triple H after being slammed to the canvas. The action spilt outside the ring as Angle and Triple H fought on the announcer’s table.

Rousey then had her opportunity to square off with Triple H, hitting him with punches and lifting him on top of her shoulders. McMahon prevented her husband being tossed — but Angle re-entered to continue the beating.

Triple H managed to land a pedigree, but Rousey saved Angle from being counted out. She then locked in an armbar on Triple H, forcing McMahon to come to the rescue.

Rousey was taken out by friendly fire as Triple H catapulted Angle into her. But she recovered and locked in another armbar on McMahon to finish the match.

The reaction was almost universally positive.

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