10 WWE Wrestlers Who Grabbed The Brass Ring In 2018

4. Ronda Rousey

Seth Rollins Brass Ring
WWE.com

Celebrity status meant Ronda Rousey was always going to be pushed to the moon upon entering WWE.

Cynics suspected she'd be pampered, over-protected, and handed the keys to the kingdom whether she worked for it or not. This bred resentment from the get-go, but far from joining the ranks of the "do-nothing b*tches" she stood against in the UFC, Rousey has proved herself a tireless worker, having thrown herself into her new career without taking a single shortcut.

Rousey is doing this the right way. Yes, WWE have given her opportunities that wouldn't normally exist for others, but she is paying her dues. Ronda took several ring post bumps in her very first match. She sold for Stephenie Mc-f*cking-Mahon at WrestleMania. She let Charlotte Flair unleash a very real, very painful assault on her at Survivor Series, putting the angle over the top as a result. While many assumed she'd work a pathetic Brock Lesnar-esque road schedule, she's out there doing house shows with everyone else in the trenches. The list goes on.

Just because someone comes in as a readymade star doesn't mean they aren't a grafter. Throughout an astonishing rookie year, Rousey has not proved herself one of wrestling's biggest naturals, but one of its hardest workers too.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.