The reaction to Ronda Rousey’s WWE suspension is hilarious

This past weekend was one of WWE‘s major annual events: SummerSlam. Yet little did WWE know, one part of their show would become breaking news today, with major media outlets failing to realize it’s all part of the script.

Perhaps the most highly-anticipated match at SummerSlam was Ronda Rousey’s showdown rematch with Smackdown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan, thanks to the popularity of both wrestlers.

Liv ended Rousey’s recent title reign at the Money in the Bank event earlier this month when Liv, having won the actual Money in the Bank match (which allows her to challenge the champion once at any time for a year), turned around later that night and banked in her challenge immediately after Rousey defeated Natalya. Per the storyline, Rousey courageously earned a victory over Natalya while suffering a knee injury. Liv Morgan, realizing her opportunity, ran out, issued the challenge, and was able to fairly easily pin Rousey, thanks to the injury.

This allowed the high energy wrestling fan favorite, Liv Morgan, to be crowned champion for the first time in her career, while also not necessarily hurting the reputaion of Rousey, who has only been pinned by two other wrestlers in her career.

It also allowed WWE to set up a rematch at SummerSlam with Morgan being pitched as the underdog, since Rousey had recovered from her injury.

In order to come up with a result similar to their Money in the Bank match where Morgan walks away with the title without hurting Rousey’s reputation, the matchmakers decided that Rousey would get Morgan in a submission hold while Morgan pinned Rousey. Usually, Rousey earns her victories with a submission move that forces her opponent to tap out, thus conceding the match.

The idea for the ending of this match was perfectly executed. When Morgan had Rousey pinned, Rousey also had Morgan in a submission. The referee naturally started his three count for the pin, but Morgan tapped out after the count of two, unbeknownst to the ref, who then counted three and awarded the match to Morgan. Thus, the ref blew the call, and Rousey loses the match but not her reputation, thanks to the controversy.

Immediately afterwards, Rousey went after the ref and put him in a submission hold out of frustration. Of course, this is likley to turn Rousey into a villain (or a “heel” as the wrestling lingo goes). Anyone who saw this event can clearly see this was staged, as is normal wrestling behavior.

WWE, as per their usual business on social media, announced a couple days ago that Rousey was suspended indefinitely for attacking an official after the match. No surprise. According to wrestler insiders, and as suspected by any casual wrestling fan, Rousey simply needed a break for a couple weeks. She gave birth last fall and has been traveling with the WWE practically non-stop since her return in January.

There also happens to be a major WWE event the first weekend in Cardiff, Wales, during the first weekend of September called Clash at the Castle.

However, Rousey’s storyline suspension managed to fool many news outlets. After Yahoo! News wrote an entire article on the suspension yesterday, People followed with one of their own today, explaining that she attacked an official after the match. Neither ever mentioned, nor likely never realizing, that it was part of the storyline.

Entertainment Tonight then also wrote about it.

So, did Bleacher Report, US Magazine, and many other news and media outlets.

Whereas the wrestling news media, like WrestlingWorldCC, understood that it’s all a part of the show.

WrestlingNova also pointed out that this is a part of the story.

Fans are taking to the social media trying to point out that this is all part of the show.

Some wrestling fans tried to educate the media and anyone else who might be reading, while others had fun with it.

The free promotion certainly works out for the WWE, and is a major reason why they add suspensions to their scripted storylines.

Longtime wrestling insider Dave Meltzer also noted that her “suspension” will be lifted soon, because she is booked for the big Clash at the Castle event.