Thanks so much, guys.
And Rhonda, congratulations, a decisive victory by you tonight and
we're gonna get to Liv Morgan in just a second.
But I have to ask about this gear that you're wearing.
>> Yes, this is my pinky that I wore in honor of my uncle, Gene LeBell, when
I first started fighting, until they told me I wasn't allowed to wear it anymore.
But I always got it from him and he famously made the pinky his thing.
It started off an accident that it got washed with something red and
then it was pink.
But it just became like The boy named Sue kind of a thing,
that it made him tougher to be the guy with the pinky.
And if you can be a badass while wearing pink,
then you're the biggest badass around kind of a mindset that he had.
So yeah, so I always like to wear the pinky and think of him and
he's the reason why I'm here.
The reason why I have the Rowdy name and
the connection between me and Rowdy Piper and just so
many other things that I'm not really gonna get into but it means a lot to me.
>> Well, he's certainly smiling down tonight because tonight you
made a statement.
And by winning the match tonight, you earned a spot at Extreme Rules,
where you will face the SmackDown Women's Champion, Liv Morgan.
What are you looking ahead to at Extreme Rules?
>> Well, Uncle Gene would have told me to mutilate, assassinate and
annihilate every woman in my way.
And in that mindset, I think he would really like me to have an actual
Extreme Rules match at Extreme Rules, because since I got screwed over last
time with Liv, maybe the last one and a half times kind of, I would really like
to beat her more than what is allowed within the constraints of the rules here.
So this is me vying for an Extreme Rules match.
Let's see if Hooters Barbie there wants to turn it down or not.
>> Ooh, some strong words from Ronda Rousey.
Ronda, congratulations on the victory today, and thank you so much for the time.
We will send it back to you guys in the studio.
>> Thanks guys, Imperium, this was the first night on Friday Night SmackDown that
we saw you guys as a unit, and the brawling brutes gave you just about
everything that you could take but you still walked away with the victory.
So what kind of message were you trying to send to the SmackDown locker room?
>> When we step in the ring, we do it for one purpose,
that is to protect and defend the honor of this precious sport.
And I gotta be honest,
it was my absolute privilege to have Ludvig on my side from the beginning.
But I'm even more honored to be joined by the most impressive
athletes this sport has to offer.
Giovanni, welcome back.
>> Thank you very much.
I think it's needless to say that Imperium is back stronger than ever.
And now, we finally have the opportunity to show our passion to the whole world on
the biggest stage there is, and today was the first day of many.
There's a lot more to come.
We don't do what we do for fame.
We don't do what we do for money.
We do what we do because there is nobody else who can do what we do.
There is nobody else who can shoulder responsibility that we are shouldering.
Because we are Emperium, and to us, the mat is sacred.
>> Gentlemen, congratulations on the victory and
we'll send it back to you guys in the studio.
>> Thanks so much guys.
Congratulations, Bougie and the Beast, Aliyah and Raquel Rodriguez,
on your victory tonight over Toxic Attraction.
And it seems like week after week, you two just build more and
more chemistry inside of the ring, what's been working for you guys?
>> Honestly Megan, I think it's that we both genuinely just go out there and
we have fun being ourselves.
We're really enjoying the WWE Universe and all of their amazing energy, but
it's almost like filling us up with this energy to just wanna defend our titles to
like 110%, you know what I mean?
It's amazing.
>> Well, speaking of defending your titles,
you ladies built some momentum tonight and you will need that, because on
Monday Night Raw you defend those titles against IYO SKY and Dakota Kai.
What will you guys do to make sure that you walk out on Monday Night Raw as
the women's Tag Team Champions?
Well, we've already beaten them once, but I do remember that they called us,
what was it, fake champions?
>> That's right, I believe, she call us fake champions on the bump.
Last time I checked, the referee's decision is final.
So last time I checked, we're the champions.
>> That's right, we hold the titles, they don't.
So it looks like they have something to worry about Monday, and
that something is Bougie and the Beast.
All right, ladies, best of luck on Monday as you defend those titles.
We will send it back to you guys in the studio.