14 Best WWE Title Changes That Ever Happened At SummerSlam

You wouldn’t have thought at the time that this match would be this significant one year later, but it really is a testament to Ronda Rousey’s work ethic and appeal.

Rousey was still in her infancy as a wrestler, having only competed in three televised matches (14 overall) since her debut. That’s an insanely short period for someone who had only signed with WWE seven months earlier. Still, WWE went all-in with Rowdy Ronda, as she defeated Alexa Bliss in less than five minutes to win the Raw Women’s Championship.

What happened next is what made this a standout moment. Rousey would continue to rapidly improve in the ring. She headlined WWE’s first all-female PPV, Evolution, which actually was a pretty good show. Ronda’s matches and segments regularly would be some of the better parts of Raw.

Then, as WrestleMania approached, Rousey would turn heel to pit her against anti-hero Becky Lynch (and Charlotte Flair) in the first female main event in Mania history. That is something that wouldn’t have happened without the strength of Rousey and her opponents.

Lastly, we’ve seen what her absence since Mania has meant for the women’s division – women’s wrestling has clearly slid backward, with the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships being utterly meaningless, Lynch being forced to fight the unprepared Lacey Evans for months, and Bayley sputtering after some glimmers of hope.