
Ronda Rousey is one of the biggest superstars in WWE, and deservedly so.
Wrestling fans have wholly embraced her; no more skeptical editorials questioning her transition to the squared circle need to be written. In her debut match at WrestleMania 34, she stole the show, outperforming WWE superstars who had years of pro wrestling experience under their belts. Much of this can be attributed to the people she worked with; Triple H and Kurt Angle are legendary talents, and Stephanie McMahon has been around the business her entire life. But Rousey herself deserves significant credit as well.
Rousey sells unusually well for someone with her in-ring experience. She snaps back when she takes a hit. She bumps hard when an opponent tosses her around. She is unselfish; a lesser, unseasoned performer would be more concerned with making herself look strong. But Rousey knows that the best wrestling is collaborative and requires a back-and-forth trade to tell a good story.
Rousey translates her prior competitive experience—she is an Olympic judoka (bronze medalist) and a UFC Hall of Famer—into something performative and theatrical. It would have been easy for Rousey to be complacent: get in the ring, throw a few haymakers, hook in the arm bar, cash the check, and call it a day. But her move-set demonstrates her enthusiasm; it seems that every time we see her perform, she's showing off something new and painful-looking.
In anticipation of her title match against Raw Women's Champion Alexa Bliss at SummerSlam, which airs live on the WWE Network on Sunday, August 19, at 7 p.m. ET, we watched all the Rousey footage we could find. We rounded up her 20 best WWE moves, and we created GIFs for each of them. It's time to get rowdy.
20. Ranger Roll Into Fireman's Carry

19. Rear Naked Choke Counter (Shoulder Throw)

18. Rope-Hung Cross Armbar

17. O Goshi (Major Hip Throw)

16. Rolling Clothesline

15. Uranage (Side Suplex)

14. Roundhouse Kick

13. Utsuri Goshi (Changing Hip Throw)

12. Flying Knee

11. Hair Pull Biel Throw

10. Leg Hook Belly-To-Back Suplex

9. Barricade Biel Throw

8. Standing Reverse Kata Guruma (Modified Samoan Drop)

7. Kosoto Gari (Leg Sweep Clothesline)

6. Back Suplex Side Slam

5. Arm Drag Takedown

4. Frankensteiner

3. Flying Crossbody

2. Rushing Punch Combination

1. Armbar (Finisher)
