Ronda Rousey’s second run in WWE often draws a wide range of opinions from fans, but one of her former opponents offered a staunchly positive inside look at working with the former champion.
Speaking on TMZ Sports’ “Inside The Ring” podcast, Shotzi Blackheart pushed back on any negative perception of Rousey’s dedication, detailing a performer who was not only committed but proactive in crafting their matches together. Blackheart revealed that Rousey personally invited her to train at her home and actively sought out Shotzi’s most complex moves to incorporate into their bouts.
In a candid statement, Shotzi shared the full extent of her experience:
“I really like working with Ronda, like she was always so cool. She would invite me to her house to come train with her. She was always down to take the most brutal bumps, especially after our pay-per-view match; she was taking some crazy bumps for me. She would go and look and find all of my craziest moves, and she would be like, ‘I want to take this. Let me take this.’ So, yeah, she was always so down. People don’t give her enough credit. When she’s focused, she’s laser-focused on making something look really awesome. But I mean, like when I was with her, she was also focused on having a family. She had just come back from having a kid, and that plays a factor into everything, too. But, I’m a big Ronda fan. She’s Ronda Rousey. That name alone brings attention to your match. I will forever be so proud to say, like, ‘Hey, I wrestled Ronda Rousey in a pay-per-view for the f—king championship. You can’t take that away from me.’”
Blackheart also addressed the safety of Rousey’s offense, noting that while her judo throws are legitimately “gnarly” to take, Rousey’s strikes were delivered in a way that looked excellent without causing any real pain. The two notably worked a SmackDown Women’s Championship match at Survivor Series 2022.
Shotzi’s defense comes at a time when Rousey’s future in wrestling is a hot topic, with the former UFC star having publicly criticized WWE’s inner workings and fueled speculation about a potential AEW run.