Ronda Rousey’s surprise appearance at AEW Revolution quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the pay-per-view, but not all of the reaction from fans has been positive.
Shortly after the segment aired during the March 15 event at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, many fans took to social media to voice criticism of AEW for bringing the former UFC champion into the storyline.
Some reactions referenced past controversies involving Rousey, including criticism surrounding comments she previously made about the Sandy Hook shooting. One fan compared AEW’s decision to feature Rousey on television with how the company previously handled another situation involving wrestler Trey Miguel.
“Ronda a Sandy Hook denier who ‘apologized 11yrs later’ gets on tv but yet Trey Miguel couldn’t work there when apologized pretty much immediately.”
Another fan criticized AEW’s decision to involve Rousey in a storyline with AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm.
“AEW have signed a Sandy Hook denying transphobic piece of s*** who has spent her career whining that people don’t respect her.”
Other fans expressed their frustration more bluntly, saying they did not want Rousey appearing on AEW programming at all.
“F** off, she’s a piece of s***, we dont want her in AEW.”
Some criticism also focused on how the moment impacted Marina Shafir, arguing the surprise appearance overshadowed her storyline.
“No one wants Ronda in AEW. She can just leave right away and just been a distraction tonight for Marina.”
Another fan mocked the appearance entirely while referencing the controversy surrounding Rousey’s past comments.
“What a surprise appearance from an absolutely legendary school shooter denier!”
The backlash followed a chaotic segment that took place shortly after Toni Storm defeated Marina Shafir earlier in the show. As Storm celebrated inside the ring, Rousey suddenly appeared and confronted the champion face-to-face.
Security quickly rushed to the ring to separate the two, but the situation escalated moments later when Shafir attacked Storm from behind. The segment ended with Storm laid out in the ring while Rousey and Shafir exited through the crowd.
AEW President Tony Khan later addressed the appearance during the Revolution post-show media scrum. Khan explained that Rousey’s involvement in the segment stemmed from her real-life friendship with Shafir.
“Ronda is a really good friend of Marina Shafir and Marina brought her in as backup,” Khan said. “You know everyone was banned from ringside so that match was a great wrestling match. I thought Toni and Marina Shafir was a great wrestling match. They’re gonna have a no holds barred fight on Wednesday night.”
Khan also pointed out that Rousey has appeared for AEW before and that the company maintains a positive relationship with her.
“Ronda has wrestled for us before and we have a great relationship with her and she’s always welcomed here.”
The strong online reaction shows how polarizing crossover stars can be when they enter the professional wrestling world. While surprise appearances often generate buzz and attention for major shows, they can also spark intense debate among fans about whether the move benefits the storyline or distracts from the performers already involved.
Do you think Ronda Rousey appearing at AEW Revolution helped the storyline or took attention away from the wrestlers already involved?
