Ronda's 2022 Royal Rumble return - Thoughts?

[agent817]

So my friend and I were discussing this. I would try to dig up the live thread from that event or threads of this topic from that time, but I am not going to do that. Anyway, I remember a lot of the internet was livid about Ronda winning at that event. I was one of them, mostly for these reasons.

1. She was gone for three years and her return was announced via social media.
2. There was no buildup for the return nor the win.

Another thing I might add is that in my opinion, it would have worked better if she had returned on TV after Day 1 to announce that she is back and wants to be a part of the Rumble. Was there any reason why that didn't happen?

What are your thoughts?

[dbrussel]

I don't remember her return being announced by WWE on social media

Also, my opinion on anything Ronda related:

[UN PLOMBIER NIGHTMARE #blm]

i've just never really liked her

[J is Justice]

I think this is the one where Mercedes was one of the favs, but she got eliminated really early. Also, Liv was thrown out by the Bella twins, which really sucked. I never saw any of Ronda's previous work, so I probably didn't know what to think.

[A Little Doo Doo]

Hated it then, hate it now, really hope I don't ever see Ronda again.

[Jasper Troy Bolton]

She looked like someone's personal trainer wandered in to the ring

[hashtagdaley/JudasDay]

Man, it was so bad. It set the stage for the entire disaster that was her second run.

Say what you will about her, the first one was both surprising and pretty fun. She just tanked in every single aspect once she got back.

[ejm olmos]

It was a wrap when she showed up for her big return in casual attire.

[Totorob101]

She has always came across as genuinely despising the fans and hated every moment being in the ring for a lot of the time.

[El Cokehead del Knife Fight]

It was the cherry on top of a disastrously bad rumble where it became clear that the Rumble was no longer a guarantee of being a great spectacle.

[polarbearpete]

She was a surprise return I thought? Not on social media. She came back too soon I think (to try and prove it to herself and following in her moms footsteps if I remember correctly) so she wasn’t really in peak form.

[lionheart21]

She basically looked and wrestled like she had just gotten the call that morning that they needed her in the Rumble.

[lionheart21]

Jun 1, 2024 18:53:05 GMT -5 Totorob101 said:

She has always came across as genuinely despising the fans and hated every moment being in the ring for a lot of the time.

You can pretty much pinpoint the second that this change happened. Her 2018 Survivor Series match against Charlotte.

[Andew9001]

Her first run was pretty good all things considered. She definately lost a step during her return. I don't know if it was ring rust or if she just lost interest but it was definately a step down. My opinion when she came out was pretty meh. It only got worse from there.

[rickthelegend1]

I expected more from her. She's had plenty of time to learn now.

[theironyuppie]

Jun 1, 2024 19:46:00 GMT -5 lionheart21 said:

Jun 1, 2024 18:53:05 GMT -5 Totorob101 said:

She has always came across as genuinely despising the fans and hated every moment being in the ring for a lot of the time.

You can pretty much pinpoint the second that this change happened. Her 2018 Survivor Series match against Charlotte.

It's a fantastic match (I'd argue the best of Ronda's wrestling career, especially when you consider they didn't really have time to extensively rehearse like Ronda's previous PLE matches), but the crowd being so strongly against her was tough.

As for the 2022 Women's Rumble, unlike the disastrous Men's Rumble it's actually pretty fun for most of the match, but the Charlotte/Ronda ending fell quite flat because virtually nothing happens.Ronda's second run wasn't all bad (with her first two matches against Raquel as well as the Backlash I Quit match being highlights), but it wasn't a good note to start on.

[Gerard Gerard]

Would've put money on her return setting up a long-overdue one-on-one with Becky Lynch and then it just never happened.

[ThankGodForSidJustice]

It really was a waste of time. In 2018 she was still a huge name in mainstream who could draw more eyes to the product. In 2022 not so much. They also had all of their chosen ones on the roster at that point with all of the 4HW plus Bianca and Rhea. So it's not even like they were hurting on star power.

[PKO]

Her Rumble appearance was a surprise, it wasn’t hyped at all beforehand (but this was the Rumble where they announced in advance that nearly half the competitors were alumni because they’d released so many people).

It’s easy to forget after her disappointing second run, but she really had such an aura in her first run and looked great in the ring (though the WM pin botch was a bad way to leave things). Her Rumble appearance she really looked like she was struggling to think what to do, her punches looked weak, she looked tired by the end. It’s worth noting she had just given birth about 4-5 months prior. But her winning just emphasised it wasn’t a great showing, and her back at the top just felt like a return to the status quo.

Really it ended up being a precursor for that run in general.

[RI Richmark]

Jun 2, 2024 4:29:10 GMT -5 Gerard Gerard said:

Would've put money on her return setting up a long-overdue one-on-one with Becky Lynch and then it just never happened.

That never made sense to me. Becky was the only one who ever pinned her, you'd think Ronda would want revenge but she targeted Charlotte instead.