Jerry Lawler On Backstage Interaction With Paige At The Royal Rumble, Ronda Rousey Signing With WWE
The Women's Royal Rumble match was lauded not only for its historical significance, but how well the match went. On a recent episode of his podcast, Jerry "The King" Lawler had high praise for the women and their performance.
The women's Rumble match featured a ton of surprise returns including past Women's Champions Trish Stratus, Lita and Michelle McCool, among others. The match also did a good job of showcasing the current female talent on the roster, culminating with Asuka winning and punching her ticket to WrestleMania 34. Lawler said the match was everything he had hoped it would be and he praised everyone who had a hand in putting it together.
"The Women's Royal Rumble epitomized what I love about Royal Rumbles. I love seeing people from the past and surprise entrances showing up at Royal Rumbles. The Women's Royal Rumble was historic and the first time ever. There was so much pressure, not just women who performed but the people who put that Royal Rumble together. You only get one chance to make a good first impression and that was what they had and I thought they came through with flying colors," Lawler said. "All the ladies that they brought back looked and performed great. The match itself was just so good. It really was. I was excited about it. I was surprised that they put that on last but after seeing the surprise at the end of the Royal Rumble then I wasn't so surprised; it all made sense. The entire Women's Royal Rumble was great."
The biggest news to come out of the Royal Rumble was the debut of Ronda Rousey. The former UFC champion and Hollywood star appeared at the end of the women's Rumble match and made an ominous declaration about her intentions for WrestleMania. Lawler said he's happy to see someone with such star-power join the WWE.
"She's somebody that is known almost to everybody. John Cena is a movie star, commercials, good grief, everything that John Cena has done is known like Ronda Rousey; at least, outside the WWE world," Lawler said. "I read what Dana White wrote about her; he said that he is so happy for her because he knew that her entire time during her UFC career she was always a Pro Wrestling fan; always loved the WWE. Even he feels she is where she belongs."
Lawler also discussed a funny interaction he had with Paige while they were backstage. There was a viral photo in which it appeared as though Lawler was staring at Paige's backside. He said the two of them shared a laugh about it.
"The first time walking to the hallway in the back walking to catering, here comes two young ladies walking towards me, and it's Paige and Kelly Kelly; and I hadn't seen Paige in a long time and she gives me a hug and everything; then she proceeds to tell Kelly Kelly about the picture that went out all over the internet of someone taking a picture at ringside, which it just depends on that second," Lawler said. "The whole time you are at ringside and you are looking around at no telling what, if they catch that exact second it appears that I am looking at Paige's backside and I don't really remember that as being the case but the picture looked like that. It sailed around the internet everywhere and she and I had a good laugh about it. We recreated the picture back in the locker room with her looking at my backside, so that's the kind of stuff that can happen with pictures like that. Let me reassure everybody, and I swear on my mother's grave, Jim Ross and I were never asleep at anytime during the 25th anniversary of Raw. That never happened."
If you use any of the quotes from this article, please credit Dinner With The King with an H/T to WrestlingINC for the transcription.
Source: Dinner With The King
Peter Bahi contributed to this article.