AEW brought Ronda Rousey in expecting a reaction — and they got one. According to WrestleVotes, the mood backstage at Revolution following Rousey’s surprise appearance was calm, with the company viewing the online response as a net positive regardless of whether it skewed positive or negative.
“They brought her in to elicit a reaction. The general interaction on social media is good enough for AEW,” the report states. “From a company standpoint, there’s no negative reaction to her showing up last night. There’s no backlash behind the scenes from anyone saying, ‘Why is she here? She’s taking my spot.’ That’s not the feeling in the room.”
Rousey Entered AEW Through Her Existing Relationship With Marina Shafir
Rousey appeared following Toni Storm’s victory over Marina Shafir, entering the ring to confront Storm before security separated them. The two have a history that predates her WWE career, with Rousey and Shafir having teamed together in ROH in 2023. Tony Khan confirmed after the show that Rousey is “always welcome” in AEW and that he plans to attend her upcoming MMA return against Gina Carano on May 16th.