When the Charlotte Flair versus Ronda Rousey match at Survivor Series came to an end and the dust had cleared on Charlotte's vicious attack, the crowd was clearly behind the aggressor and not behind the victim. As backward as that might be and as little as WWE bookers would want the crowd to turn on what could be the most iconic woman in WWE Women's wrestling history (Rousey), that reaction speaks to Becky Lynch's newfound star-quality appeal.
One of the most entertaining and popular things going in WWE right now, Lynch was taken out of Survivor Series at the last minute by an errant Nia Jax shot to the face. That said, her spirit was there in full force as the crowd not only let Jax have it during her traditional Survivor Series match but went total anti-Rousey in an effort to send a message to WWE. We want Lynch, not your new shiny toy from the world of MMA.
This isn't to say that Rousey isn't still a fan favorite, she clearly is. But, if you're going to put Lynch up against Rousey in a popularity contest, it appears Lynch has become the clear winner thanks to the vocal majority of the WWE Universe in attendance at last night's pay-per-view.
Where You Are, Not Who You Are
Sometimes in professional wrestling, it's not about who you are but where you are. What I mean by that is, if not put in the right position to get the most out of your character, you're bound to struggle to get the WWE audience on your side, good or bad. In this case, Ronda Rousey happens to the Raw Women's Champion who stands in the way of "The Man", Becky Lynch and her ascension to the top of the mountain in WWE's Women's Division. Lynch's rise is long overdue and to her credit, she's hitting everything out of the park when it comes to the material she's being delivered. She's grabbed the "brass ring" and ran with it as no one has in the past couple of years. Opposing such a wave of popularity is not an ideal place to be if your name is Ronda Rousey.
While Lynch is supposed to be "a heel", she's absolutely not. She's the female version of Stone Cold Steve Austin — confident in herself, her ability and she's got no problem putting you in your place. The fans are loving every second of it.
Meanwhile, Rousey needs a good heel to stay a strong babyface. Put her up against Nia Jax, Alexa Bliss, Mickie James, The Iiconics or any one of the many female competitors WWE has that are disliked by fans and Rousey flourishes. By no fault of her own, Rousey is simply in the wrong situation to utilize her best.
Related: Survivor Series Winners and Losers: Lesnar vs. Bryan Surprises
The Enemy of My Friend...
What happened on Sunday should not be mistaken for the WWE Universe all of a sudden falling in love with Charlotte Flair. Remember, just weeks ago, Flair and Lynch were at each other's throats. Lynch was the heel and Charlotte the babyface and Charlotte was receiving the same reaction Rousey did on Sunday, boos. But, because the situation has changed and now Charlotte is standing in for Lynch, to the WWE Universe, she's become the friend of a friend which makes Rousey the enemy.
If you were to pit Flair against Lynch tomorrow, the crowd would side with Lynch, no question. What will be interesting to see, is if WWE is smart enough to recognize this and keep the momentum strong for Lynch or if the reaction on Sunday gives the company a false sense of confidence in Flair's popularity. The latter might be a mistake.
Related: Becky Lynch And Chris Jericho Clash On Twitter
What This Means
This whole situation is problematic for Rousey in that she was clearly shaken by the fact she was being booed by the WWE Universe on Sunday. You could see it when she walked up the ramp and was being heckled by fans. Someone who's job was to go out and be the "good guy", gain sympathy from the crowd and sell a beating, wound up being the bad guy and the WWE audience was glad to see her get 'what was coming to her". She didn't deserve it, she delivered one hell of a match and she's potentially too green to know how to deal with what just happened.
This is a tricky spot for WWE. Do they keep this going knowing Rousey will not win the popular vote? Will they flip this somehow to have Charlotte also turn on Lynch? Potentially, there are two ways to fix this. First, Rousey goes heel because she's bitter about the reaction. Lynch was bound to be the babyface anyways and this feels like a natural progression of things, perhaps just a little early. Second, Charlotte turns on Lynch making Rousey no longer the enemy of the people.
The first order of business if WWE wants to keep fans on the side of Rousey? Put her up against Jax, and as soon as possible.
Next: Why Ronda Rousey Wasn't Given The Stretcher Treatment At Survivor Series