Why Kurt Angle Is the Key for a Successful Ronda Rousey Debut at WrestleMania 34

Ronda Rousey is the biggest mainstream WWE signing in quite some time, but she is by no means the first athlete to make the switch to pro wrestling.

Many WWE Superstars got their start in a different sport, either in college or professionally, so there are plenty of examples of people being able to transition successfully.

Baron Corbin and Mojo Rawley were once contracted to NFL teams, Ken Shamrock and Dan Severn got their starts in MMA and Kane was a successful college basketball player. But few can measure up to Kurt Angle.

Not only did he win a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics, but he did it with a broken neck. That kind of achievement earns you legendary status among fans and other athletes, but even he had to prove himself to the hardcore WWE audience.

Ronda Rousey is set to battle Triple H and Stephanie McMahon alongside Angle at WrestleMania 34 on April 8, and the gold medalist is going to be the key to her in-ring debut's success.

Making the Transition

One of the hardest things for anyone who moves from combat sports to pro wrestling to deal with is changing the way they approach a fight.

Rousey no longer has to worry about knockouts and making her opponents tap out as quickly as possible. She has to consider all of the other things WWE uses to tell a story.

She has to learn when to sell for her opponents and when to use the right facial expressions, and she is going to have to learn how to pump up the crowd if a match isn't going well.

The performance aspect of pro wrestling is what so many people struggle with. It's not enough to be a good athlete. You also have to be able to tell a story.

Angle picked up all of this faster than most people who spend their lives trying to become a WWE Superstar, and he is the perfect person to help Rousey learn the same things. 

Rowdy Ronda has likely learned a lot from the coaching staff at the WWE Performance Center, but there is no way to teach someone how to perform in front of a WrestleMania audience.

This will be the largest crowd Rousey has performed in front of, and even though she has been in front of thousands of fans before, 'Mania is an different animal.

Angle can help guide her during the match to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible. Someone less talented might not be able to give her the support she needs as a partner in her first match.

What If the Crowd Boos Her?

When Rousey first arrived in WWE at the end of the women's Royal Rumble match, the WWE Universe didn't exactly embrace her with open arms.

The response in the arena that evening was awesome, but she learned the next night on Raw how many people did not want her inside the squared circle.

She appeared to be caught off guard by the boos, and it led to her first promo being clunky. If anyone can relate, it's Angle.

He is one of the first examples of the WWE audience universally turning on a babyface character early in his career, but it may have been the best possible outcome for him.

By embracing the heat and becoming a villain, Angle became a much more valuable asset. Once he proved himself to be an incredible technical wrestler, the fans changed their tune and began cheering for him.

Because their journeys started so similarly, Angle is one of the only people who can help Rousey navigate the tricky path to becoming a respected pro wrestler.

Masking Her Shortcomings

Rousey is an outstanding athlete who helped pave the way for an entire group of women to pursue a career in MMA, but that doesn't mean she is going to be as good in the wrestling ring.

She is going to be green in her first match. There's no doubt about it. The challenge is finding a way to cover it up.

Having her fight McMahon in her first outing was a smart move by WWE because she won't outshine Rousey in the ring like Charlotte Flair or Asuka would.

The Billion-Dollar Princess will sell for Rousey because she understands it's more valuable to make her look strong than it is to make herself look good.

Then you have Angle and Triple H. Not only do these two have years of history to drive their half of the match, but they are also going to do all the proverbial heavy lifting.

The Game is still in top shape, and Angle is the kind of talent who never loses a step between matches. When the bell rings at WrestleMania, it's going to be like it was 15 years ago when they were at the height of their careers.

In fact, this bout is almost as much about the tension between The Authority and Angle as it is about Rousey's WWE debut.

It's too early to judge how this match will turn out, but with a pro like McMahon and two veterans like Angle and Triple H, the in-ring kickoff to Rousey's WWE career is in good hands.

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What do you think? Was Angle the best choice to be Rousey's partner at WrestleMania 34?