Alexa Bliss wanted to make history with Ronda Rousey.
Appearing on the Sam Roberts Wrestling Podcast, in an interview recorded before SummerSlam, Bliss made it known that she wanted to beat Rousey the moment she signed.
"As soon as she was signed I said, ‘I want to be in the ring with her.’ I was saying, ‘I want to be the one to beat her.’ This was before I knew how much of a badass she really is. Now I'm like, ‘I want to be there, I want to be the one to beat Ronda Rousey.’ That's my goal that's what I want to do."
Bliss had her chance to beat Rousey in a Raw Women's Title match at SummerSlam, but was tossed around before eventually tapping out to the armbar. The next night on Raw, Bliss' arm was in a sling.
While things didn't go her way this past Sunday, the former champion had nothing but praise for the woman who dethroned her. Bliss believes that what Rousey has been able to accomplish in the WWE has helped legitimize the sport in the eyes of any detractors.
"I was really excited to see her in the ring because she is one of the top athletes in the world and the baddest woman on the planet. To watch someone at her caliber train differently and go through the hard work and the struggle to do what we do definitely legitimizes what we do even more. People have their opinions on WWE and UFC, when you take their top athlete and put them in our ring and they succeed it shows that the training might be different, but it's just as hard in the same way."
Bliss went on to state, "Ronda is what we needed for the Women's Evolution right now. We have women from every background imaginable -- from every athletic background -- to have someone like her, we don't have that yet. The evolution is about bringing in a diverse group of women from every background and put them in the ring and see what happens."
Rousey has received rave reviews across the board since her debut match at WrestleMania 34. She is scheduled to defend the Raw Women's Championship at WWE Evolution, which takes place Oct. 28
