Ronda Rousey’s Mainstream Appeal Will Grow Even More with the Rock’s Backing

Ronda Rousey has one huge fan—literally and figuratively speaking—in Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The part-time WWE Superstar, and top-grossing actor in the whole wide world, showed his support for Rousey in her upcoming bout with rival Miesh…

Ronda Rousey has one huge fan—literally and figuratively speaking—in Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The part-time WWE Superstar, and top-grossing actor in the whole wide world, showed his support for Rousey in her upcoming bout with rival Miesha Tate.

How did The Rock show his allegiance to Team Rousey? How else? In a Twitpic that also shows off his hulkish frame. Black and white filter added for dramatic effect.

Aside from showing support to his co-star of Fast and Furious 7, The Rock was also reciprocating the Twitter love Rousey showed him in August with this image. 

Rousey will take on Tate in the co-main event at UFC 168 at the MGM Grand. The show will be the biggest pay-per-view of the year in mixed martial arts and one of the biggest of all time. 

The bout with Tate is second in the event’s pecking order to the mega rematch between middleweight champion Chris Weidman and MMA legend Anderson Silva. 

Being backed by a star as big as The Rock will only help Rousey‘s fame grow more than it already has. She’s already almost solely responsible for the rise of women’s MMA into America’s consciousness. The fact that she’s been so successful, and doesn’t look like the way one would stereotype a female mixed martial artist, only helps her star grow.

This will be the second time Rousey and Tate have tangled. In March 2012, Rousey defeated Tate while the two were still competing in Strikeforce. After a war of words on the last season of The Ultimate Fighter—where both women were coaches—Tate will get her chance to avenge the loss and dethrone Rousey.

Wouldn’t it be cool if during The Rock’s next stint with the WWE, he started using Rousey‘s signature arm bar as a submission? I can just hear Michael Cole screaming right now, “he learned this from his Fast and Furious 7 co-star!!”

Maybe not.

In any case, this is a big-time endorsement that Rousey can only stand to benefit from. Now she just has to take care of business and make The Rock proud. 

 

Follow me, I like sports where people fight.

 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com