Ronda Rousey: 'Pulling Out of Crown Jewel Would Be The Wrong Move'

The controversy surrounding WWE and its decision to move forward with Crown Jewel has made no shortage of headlines. While most of them are negative, Ronda Rousey think WWE is making the right choice to go ahead with their original plans.

In an interview with TMZ, Rousey explained that sports can transcend geopolitical tensions. And to her, cancelling Crown Jewel would do more harm than good.

"I think sports is where we find that common ground with each other. I think pulling out of Crown Jewel would be the wrong move. This is an opportunity to share our cultures and to find what we have in common. Especially in times of adversity between two countries – that's the absolute wrong time to pull away. That's the time for us to find what we have in common and understand each other more," she said.

Rousey believes that bringing WWE to Saudi Arabia will unify cultures, instead of drawing battling lines.

"It seems almost frivolous; a WWE event [compared to]these huge world issues, but in a world where we're always trying to look at it as 'Us and Them', I think those big events like Crown Jewel makes us realize it's an "Us" all around. I think that having these events and sharing our culture in Saudi Arabia is the first step to understanding each other, and finding that common ground," said Rousey.

"This is a great opportunity to have people from Saudi Arabia loving a part of American culture," she continued. WWE is a part of that American culture that they are inviting in and embracing. You have these kids from Saudi Arabia that are idolizing people from America and all thse different countries. Maybe you'll see people from Saudi Arabia going into the WWE, and then kids from America idolizing those people."

Rousey, like Randy Orton and JBL thinks WWE can promote change in the Middle East by exposing that part of the world to their product. Having already broken barriers in Abu Dhabi, Rousey thinks WWE can keep that spirit alive and potentially make history in Saudi Arabia.

"If WWE becomes big in Saudi Arabia, and WWE is a company that's having all-women's PPVs – if you have the WWE Network you can see Evolution and Crown Jewel. If you have the all-men's PPV you have access to the all-women's PPV. It's exposing people to all the different things that our culture has to offer."

"Yeah, the women can't compete in Saudi Arabia right now, but if Crown Jewel is a huge success, and WWE really takes off in Saudi Arabia, I really think they are going to be demanding to see women soon," she said.

[H/T ProWrestling.com]