Vince McMahon: Ronda Rousey reveals WWE Chairman scrapped major 2022 return plans

Ronda Rousey returned to WWE as a babyface, but that wasn’t originally what Vince McMahon intended for her.

Ronda was a heel during the later portion of her first stint with WWE, between 2018-19, and fans felt that she suited the role well.

Rousey didn’t really work as a babyface, but to her credit, seemed much more natural and believable as a heel.

So, when it was reported that she would be coming back to WWE in January 2022, many fans assumed that she’d be brought in immediately as a heel.

However, that didn’t happen, and soon after her win in the 2022 Royal Rumble, it was clear that the former UFC star was a babyface once again.

And now, five months later, it has been revealed that WWE CEO Vince McMahon actually changed Rousey’s original return plans.

Speaking to Daniel Cormier on his DC Check In show, Ronda explained that she was supposed to be brought back to WWE as a heel.

However, she explains that McMahon saw the reaction she received in St Louis at the Rumble, and decided that she needed to be a babyface instead.

I was supposed to come back as a heel. Vince (McMahon) was like, ‘they popped real big, so she’s a babyface.

The SmackDown Women’s Champion then said “it’s fine being a babyface”, but seemed to suggest that she’d much rather be a heel:

“I did a heel interview after and everyone was like, ‘what the hell?’ Next Monday, I’m like, ‘I’m coming in as a heel’ and they’re like, ‘No, you need to smile and you need to stop being a b**ch.’ ‘No, I love being a bitch! It’s my outlet for b**chery!’ ‘No, pull it back for a little bit.’ ‘Okay, high fives.’ It’s fine being a babyface.”

This lines up with reports that circulated at the time, with it being claimed that Rousey had to be spoken to about how she treats the