Former WWE Women’s World Champion Ronda Rousey has finally confirmed why she refused to tap out to Becky Lynch in the historic main event of WrestleMania 35.
The triple threat match between Rousey, Lynch, and Charlotte Flair closed out WrestleMania in 2019, with Lynch capturing both the Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championships after pinning Rousey in a controversial finish.
For years, fans speculated about an alternate ending involving Lynch’s “Dis-arm-her” submission. Now, Rousey has revealed on The Lapsed Fan podcast that she flat-out rejected the idea.
According to Rousey, her refusal was tied to her mother, Dr. AnnMaria De Mars, the first American woman to win gold at the World Judo Championships. “It was proposed that I tap out to her (Becky Lynch) armbar at Survivor Series, and I said, ‘My mother would disown me.’ Anytime anyone’s ever arm-barred me in real life, I’ve just let them dislocate it and limp arm out. That’s why my ligaments are all f**ked up in this arm. I’m not gonna do it. Anytime anyone ever choked me out in competition, I just went out, and I don’t tap. I no tap motherf*cker. That’s how it is.”
Rousey went on to explain that the only person she ever agreed to submit to in WWE was her close friend, Shayna Baszler.
Fittingly, her final WWE match at SummerSlam 2023 saw Baszler choke her out in an MMA Rules contest. “The only person I said I would ever allow to submit me was Shayna (Baszler), and that’s why I wanted to go out, so that’s how I went out. I didn’t tap out. Let her choke me out.”
Rousey also revealed that the shoot-style bout with Baszler received rave reviews backstage. “I’ve never got more compliments from more people… that was more at the point where I’m like, this is for us. Screw you guys.”
The full interview with Ronda Rousey is available below.
