Backstage Ronda Rousey Royal Rumble Notes, Andrade Almas On His Big Weekend, Mic'D Up MMC Video
- Above is the "Mic'D Up" video for Week 2 of WWE's Mixed Match Challenge, which saw Asuka and WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz defeat Big E and Carmella.
- WWE and Ronda Rousey went to great lengths to keep her Royal Rumble appearance a secret, according to Wrestling Observer Radio. Rousey left for Columbia a few days ago to finish filming on the Mile 22 movie but flew a chartered jet back to Philadelphia for the Rumble. Rousey tried to stay hidden and didn't fly with the usual people she flies with. Rousey's husband Travis Browne went back to California to be with his sons from a previous marriage as there was some concern that people would figure out the surprise appearance if Browne was seen near Philadelphia. The deal with Rousey was put together a long time ago and Rousey has been training in the ring since last summer. There's talk that Rousey wants to do WWE for a few years and then have kids with Browne.
WWE announced that Rousey has signed a full-time deal but there's no word yet on if that means she will be working live events and TV events or if she will have a schedule similar to the deal that WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar has. Rousey is said to be well-liked and respected by the WWE locker room and has trained with talents such as Becky Lynch, Natalya and SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair.
- WWE NXT Champion Andrade "Cien" Almas has a big Royal Rumble weekend after retaining over Johnny Gargano in the main event of Saturday's "Takeover: Philadelphia" event and then making his main roster debut in the men's Rumble match on Sunday. Almas and manager Zelina Vega tweeted the following on the weekend:
The best weekend of my life. Two dreams come true ... ????????????
— Andrade Cien Almas (@AndradeCienWWE) January 29, 2018
AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.#elidolo #muñeca
???? pic.twitter.com/8YjpwcgPdA— Zelina Vega (@Zelina_VegaWWE) January 29, 2018