Last Thursday, Ronda Rousey became the first female inductee in the UFC Hall of Fame. She was a fighter who had a groundbreaking style and a rabid following that left the UFC with no choice but to make an entire division around her. After a couple of brutal losses, Ronda set out to tackle a new challenge. This was the pro wrestling world as part of the WWE’s Women’s Division. Now, it looks like she’s set to become one of the pre-order bonuses for the upcoming WWE 2K19.
WWE 2K19: Booyaka 619 and the Baddest Woman on the Planet
That is if we are to believe the recently leaked info. Earlier today, Microsoft’s online store released a description for WWE 2K19’s pre-order bonuses. The first one is Rey Mysterio, former World Champion and one of the most decorated cruiserweights of all time. The master of the 619 returned to the WWE for a couple of appearances this year. That led to speculation about his eventual return as a full-time competitor since leaving the WWE in 2015. Mysterio’s reveal made note that he would be the first of two pre-order bonuses.
The second pre-order bonus for WWE 2K19 was someone to be excited about. Many fans assumed it would be Rousey. After all, no other performer made a bigger splash in the WWE this year. She’s a crossover star, and in spite of resounding losses late in her UFC career, she still remains one of the biggest names in combat sports. Unfortunately, there was some controversy when she made her first appearance during the Women’s Royal Rumble back in January. To some fans, it felt as though she were stealing the moment away from the actual competitors. It didn’t help matters that all she did was point her finger at the WrestleMania sign.
Fan reaction eventually turned around ever so slightly. During certain promos wherein she judo tossed and slammed wrestler Triple H and his wife Stephanie McMahon–daughter of the WWE’s head honcho, Vince McMahon–fans became ecstatic. She had the moves, and she had the presence. However, she needed some polish to look more “believable.”
“Rowdy” Ronda Rousey: She doesn’t give a damn, she’s got a good reputation
Fans would slowly but surely find Rousey more endearing. She emotionally told stories of how much the late, great “Rowdy” Roddy Piper inspired her throughout her career. She even came out wearing his jacket that was given to her by Piper’s own son. She’s also adopted the “Rowdy” moniker to pay homage to her idol.
News articles and pundits pointed out that she has absolutely no ego backstage, a far cry from certain bigger names who’ve been brought in the past. Ronda wanted to be part of the pro wrestling industry all her life, and fans saw that. Her colleagues have also seen how well she listens and jives with the team. She’s going through the grind, the live shows, and the travel “loop” across various cities and towns – locally and abroad – just like everyone else.
Her biggest tests were her in-ring performances in front of thousands of people in an arena and the millions (and millions) watching around the world. In her first match at WrestleMania against Triple H and Stephanie, many viewers considered it the Match of the Night. Ronda looked really good and it was as if she truly belonged in a WWE ring. In her latest bout against Raw Women’s Champion Nia Jax at the recent Money in the Bank PPV, fans praised her performance. The consensus seemed to be that in only her second televised match, she had already “carried” Nia to an impressive outing.
While Rousey appearing on the cover of the game is not yet official, it’s about as close as you can get. Microsoft’s store has since changed the info, but not before Reddit user “storydove” managed to screencap the blurb. I think it’s safe to say that if the developers want WWE 2K19 to make waves among its legions of fans, they can’t go wrong with having the Baddest Woman on the Planet as a pre-order bonus.
