‘It blows my mind’ – Ronda Rousey in fresh swipe at WWE over use of Logan Paul

Ronda Rousey has hailed Logan Paul’s rise in WWE but resents that she wasn’t afforded the same development time as the YouTube sensation.

Paul is the current United States Champion in WWE following a successful title defence at last weekend’s WrestleMania XL.

The influencer turned boxer and grappler has wrestled just 11 times since his 2022 debut for the company but is still one of their biggest names.

While that’s due partly to what appears to be a natural ability for the skills required in the industry and an undeniable charisma, Rousey has made clear Paul has something else going him.

The UFC Hall of Fame star, who wrestled what appears to have been her final match for WWE last summer, claims the organisation are affording the 29-year-old far more by way of resources into his matches and development.

She feels she was given the tools to succeed in her opening match – a WrestleMania tag team clash featuring Triple H and Kurt Angle in 2018 – but that she never saw the same level of preparation again.

Rousey is in no doubt that Logan is destined for big things in the wrestling ring, but bemoaned not being afforded the same treatment.

“I wish I was allowed the time to rehearse that he gets,” she told Steve O’s Wild Ride. It’s not evenly spread.

“He’s like their next big, big star, they are rolling out the red carpet.

“It goes to show that if you give people the time to rehearse and the resources, you can do amazing things.

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“It’s frustrating that everybody doesn’t get that treatment.

“My first match with them was incredible because we had six weeks to rehearse, all the best minds in the business coming and putting in their two cents and it was an instant classic.

“Then, they never did it again. I was like: ‘Why isn’t this the model?’

“They’re doing that with Logan Paul and he’s having these fantastic performances.”

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Rousey added: “Look what you guys can do when you actually put organisation and effort into things.

“It blows my mind that this billion-dollar company is succeeding despite itself in so many ways.”

WWE’s investment in Paul is obvious, with the star securing the US title by defeating Rey Mysterio in just his eighth match at Crown Jewel in 2023.

He’s also already had notable feuds with the likes of Roman Reigns, The Miz and Ricochet.

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A multi-time former wrestling champ in her own right, Rousey has vowed she’ll never return to WWE having criticised their treatment of female stars during her time there.

Despite battling in memorable matches against the likes of Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch and holding the tag team titles with pal Shayna Baszler, she stepped away from action following her Summerslam 2023 outing against the latter.

In a stinging blast to WWE during an interview to promote her book, Our Fight, she later said: “I don’t need anything from them, and I don’t intend on going back, so I can say everything that I think and feel while everybody else is still held captive by their organisation.”

Rousey has gone on to open up about the difficulties she faced with concussion during her transition from UFC to the wrestling ring.