Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle to Face The Authority at WrestleMania 34

Ronda Rousey is on the Road to WrestleMania. The newly signed WWE Superstar appeared in the opening segment of March 5’s Monday Night Raw. She and Raw General Manger Kurt Angle once again shared the ring with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. It definitely will not be the last time that happens.

The spot between the four ended with Angle’s perhaps not-so-surprising announcement that he and Rousey will face Hunter and Stephanie at WWE WrestleMania 34 on Apr. 8. It’s finally official; Rousey has some competition on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

The segment played out fairly well; fans popped for Rousey and they were invested in the moment. The crowd has not only watched her, they’ve also paid attention. Any misstep on Ronda Rousey’s part could spell her doom. Fans may like her but they would surely turn on her if she couldn’t deliver.

But Rousey has fit right in and she has from the start. She may have been a killer in the UFC. She is definitely a world famous celebrity and media sensation. But in a WWE ring? She’s a fan. She is unassuming and she is very happy to be there. Fans see that and they respect it.

Of course a tag team match featuring Rousey is perhaps not what the WWE faithful wanted. Rousey versus Charlotte Flair is the dream match that everyone anticipated. It’s the logical move, the one that could grab the most headlines. But WWE is apparently saving that one.

If Ronda Rousey had to be booked in a mixed tag, why not pair her with The Rock? That would have been a logical move as well, considering their confrontation with Stephanie and Triple H at WrestleMania 31. But while The People’s Champion is not around, the Olympic hero is.

Angle’s heat with The Authority has been boiling for quite some time. As with many babyfaces that came before him, Angle has had to weigh his need to get paid against his need to be a man. Triple H and his wife have played this game for years but this time they have targeted the wrong Superstar.

But Angle’s inclusion in this match is a good thing only if he’s ready. While he is still in great shape, he has shown moments of awkwardness in the ring. Perhaps it’s just rust and if so, he should be able to work it out. However if he cannot get physically prepared, then the match at Mania may suffer.

Of course WrestleMania 34 is fast approaching. Triple H will do his part on April 8. Stephanie will be ready. If Angle is half the performer today that he was before, he will be on his game. But the real spotlight will obviously be on Rousey.

WrestleMania is her chance to prove that she belongs. The fans have embraced her. They have accepted her. But if she cannot make them believe in her on WWE‘s biggest night of the year, then the Ronda Rousey experiment will ultimately fail.

The weeks leading to Apr. 8 will be interesting. Rousey and Angle will stand face to face with The Authority again in the middle of the ring. Things will probably get physical. Rousey needs to get hers at some point. The important thing here is that she keeps the fans interested.

They must continue to support her. They must care about what happens to her. The match is going to take place whether Rousey loses the crowd or not. But if fans remain invested, then the match should be a success.

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But the pressure is on Rousey. She wanted a life in WWE. She will have the chance to prove she deserves it at WrestleMania.