[NOISE] >> It's just this look in Ronda Rousey
eyes, I've seen it time and time again you wait for that switch in Ronda Rousey and
I think that she started this entire matchup as it is [INAUDIBLE] Rousey.
>> And there it is Renee, the switch but
Sasha Banks countered with an arm drag of her own.
She said.
>> [CROSSTALK] >> She wanted to be ready.
She was ready for everything that Ronda Rousey is gonna throw her way tonight.
>> It was almost as if Sasha Banks led with her arm like offering it up to
Ronda Rousey.
Banks obviously studied up doing her homework on Ronda Rousey.
Look at this.
>> And Banks, another arm drag to Rousey, center of the ring.
And bank sent into the corner by the rose champion.
>> Ronda Rousey mocking the boss.
>> And attitude being shown by both of these superstars here tonight.
>> You know, they knew they needed to open the roof here on Chase Field to
accommodate Sasha Banks and her ego.
>> Well Sasha Banks last year at the Royal Rumble event lasted 55 minutes in
the women's Royal Rumble match the night of course we mentioned that Ronda Rousey,
>> But she didn't mean.
>> Part of WWE.
>> Know what they say about almost, only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
[NOISE] Look at this Ronda is fired suplex by Ronda Rousey.
This is what Sasha Banks likes to do, paying tributes to Sasha Banks hero,
the late Eddie Guerrero with the, looking for the three amigos but
Banks is able to counter.
Looking for the backstabber, trying to flip into the back state, but
Rousey now looking for the arm bar and Banks blocks.
>> Ronda Rousey so sudden.
So quick and lock a submission in,
in the blink of an eye as Sasha Banks is finding out.
>> And you heard Ronda Rousey say, you think I can't wrestle?
I'm gonna show you that I can wrestle.
Because that's what Sasha Banks' mantra has been coming into this,
that Ronda Rousey can't wrestle.
And that she can't match Sasha move for move in the ring.
>> Well, Ronda Rousey just kicked Sasha Banks in the sole.
So we'll see how that works out.
And now Rhoda talking the fight outside the ring.
Remember, champions advantage for Rhoda >> Rousey went for a right and
she connected with the ring post.
>> [NOISE] >> And
Rhoda Rousey appears to have hurt that right arm.
>> That's the case, look at Sasha Banks.
>> And Banks now launching herself with a suicide dive through the second rope and
Banks realizes she has the champ in trouble.
>> Well, Sasha said you wanna call out my desire for professional wrestling,
I'll kick your teeth then.
>> Well, that's what Sasha is looking to do.
>> Sasha Banks needs to get Rousey in the ring, wisely what she does.
>> Cover by Banks, hooks the leg now and Rousey kick out.
Remember, champion's advantage.
Banks has to pin or tap Ronda Rousey tonight.
>> And here's where Ronda Rousey was connected with the ring post.
And if in fact Ronda's right hand is injured, that totally changes the game.
You take away some of Ronda striking ability some of her submission abilities.
She only has one functional hand that changes everything.
>> Ronda Rousey is bread and butter since she's appeared on the scene not only at
WWE but in combat sports in general query the arm bar the submission move,
as Banks delivers a knee to the spine and continues to wear down the champion.
>> Smart strategy by Banks, staying in close quarters with Ronda.
I was questioning, I didn't know if that was gonna be a great decision.
Sasha's done it very, very well to this point.
>> Wow, an accolade from Graves, I appreciate that.
>> I never question Sasha Bank's talent or her abilities.
>> And you can't. >> A talent.
>> I question her ability as a human being.
>> Sasha Banks one of the true leaders of the women's evolution here in WWE.
The double knees drops Ronda in the corner.
And Banks now again with the knees, and Banks has been aggressive.
She is taking the fight to Ronda.
Here's the cover on the champion.
A kick out at two.
See an almost confident look on the face at this point from Sasha Banks controlling
the pace of this match up.
>> And Sasha feels that she spent so much time putting in work for
this specific match up.
I don't think she feels like anything could shake the ground right now.
>> Ronda Rousey finds herself in trouble.
>> Perhaps in over her head Cory with the likes of Sasha Banks.
>> Would you say that Rousey's toughest opponent today?
>> I believe so.
As Sasha is driven into the corner.
Banks caught her with a boot to the face Rhonda.
Rhonda is in trouble.
Banks though landed hard coming off the top rope.
>> Caught her with an elbow.
>> A running elbow.
Cover now on Banks.
Kick out at two by the Boss.
>> The striking ability of Ronda Rousey is so dangerous,
as we just saw, nearly shut Banks' lights out with one shot.
Deadly blows from Banks.
>> The thing I like about Sasha being aggressive tonight.
She's not backed down.
She's taking the fight to Rousey.
No intimidation at all by Banks.
Again, working on the injured right arm of Ronda Rousey.
Great strategy by Banks, the running knee.
Cover. >> One.
>> To try to win the, >> Two,
>> Raw Women's Championship, and
a kick out by Rousey.
[NOISE] >> You saw Sasha,
perhaps a bit frustrated.
But she cannot get frustrated.
She needs to stay within herself to win the championship here tonight.
>> And Sasha Banks has done such an excellent job of getting under the skin
and into the mind of Ronda Rousey.
She can't let herself get fazed at this point.
>> Give up, Ronda.
>> That tag team match Corey, last week on Raw was the first time.
Since she's been in WWE that Ronda Rousey has tasted any type of defeat.
>> Do you think that affects her mind here tonight coming into this match?
>> I think it certainly does and it remains to be seen whether or
not Ronda can focus that energy and use it towards something beneficial or
if it's gonna destroy it?
Because as of right now, Sasha Banks is being, very dominant.
>> Sasha and Bayley were feeling pretty good all week having to hand over
that loss to Rousey and Natalya.
>> And Sasha continues to work on the injured right arm.
Ronda, though, moves out of the way.
Double knees into the second turnbuckle.
Rousey now rolling through.
Sasha Banks up on her shoulders.
Ronda Rousey looking for what the pipers pick the bags
handle the counter rolls through the token rod and
shoulder Sasha Sasha go,
this is the bad arm injured early on the match up.
>> Banks now just prying at the fingers of Rhoda Rousey.
This has got to be argonizing.
>> Is Rousey going to tap out here to Sasha Banks?
>> [NOISE] >> This should be humiliating for Rousey.
>> And look at Sasha doing everything she can to punish Rousey here.
>> Rhoda's shoulder is gonna pop right out.
And now Ronda tries to roll through.
>> Yeah to ease some of the pressure but Banks still has control cover
>> Shoulder is down now and Banks.
>> Bank Statement.
Bank Statement.
>> She's making Rousey close to the bottom rope but not quite there.
Look at the look in the eyes of Rousey,
almost the panic look in the eyes of the champion Ronda Rousey.
Can't quite make it to the bottom rope to force a break.
Brilliant move from Banks there to get Ronda away from the ropes.
>> And now look at Ronda Rousey with Banks on her shoulder and
there's Piper's pet delivered to banks by Rousey.
Rousey is hurting though Corey.
>> You're absolutely right.
Rhonda suffered a great deal of damage to her right arm, first from the ring post,
the second from the submission that Banks just had applied.
Whoa, whoa, >> Whoa.
>> Ronda Rousey, look at this here.
>> My goodness,
Ronda trying to take full advantage of the five count by the official.
And now, the damage to the arm of Banks [NOISE].
>> Ronda now trying to get the blood flowing into that right hand.
Trying to shake some feeling into it.
And Ronda Rousey up to the top rope.
And Sasha Banks meets her there, almost a desperation move by Rousey, Corey,
going to the top rope here.
>> Certainly not something we've seeing Ronda Rousey do many times.
She's certainly not necessarily comfortable on the top rope.
Banks looking for something big here.
>> Yeah, but Ronda's still fighting back, and now Banks driven off the ropes.
Rousey caught up though, and Banks takes advantage, delivering a knee to the face.
And the champion's in trouble [NOISE].
>> And Sasha Banks realizing she could be closing in on her fifth
Raw Women's Championship.
Superplex by Banks, cover to win the title.
Rousey just able to kick out but again Banks,
right back to work on the injured arm.
>> This is a veteran maneuver by Sasha Banks.
Keeping in tight with Ronda Rousey right after the kick out,
which forced Ronda to exert extra energy.
Banks knew exactly what she wanted to go next.
Back to the injured arm of Rousey.
>> Both of these women have scouted each other out whole heartily, but
you've gotta give props to Sasha Bansk tonight.
She's done her homework.
>> And I know so many people, and the referee is right there.
Will Rousey tap out?
Many people would call this an upset if Banks beat Rousey tonight.
I don't agree with that, not with what Banks has accomplished in her career.
Rousey though powering Banks up and gets her down.
Rousey cover shoulders down.
Banks gets the shoulder up at two another near fall.
>> Ronda Rousey offense can be so unorthodox, so
unpredictable hard to prepare for.
I don't care how much homework Banks has done.
>> You can't prepare for things you've never seen before.
>> Rhonda soften up Sasha Banks for the arm bar submission move three times now.
And now Sasha though, able to sling Rousey out of the ring and
buy yourself some time in the official checking on the champion.
One arm champion, since shear delivered at that
forearm to the post in the early parts of the match up,
at this time taught by Rousey and there's the look in the eyes yeah,
outside the ring, but outside the window.
Banks is tapping, but it's outside the ring it has to happen inside the ring
in this championship match.
>> That was a Champions advantage dictates Ronda Rousey doesn't
really have to beat Sasha Banks.
>> No, not at all, but she can't do it outside the ring in that manner.
Banks sent back into the ring now, and Ronda Rousey.
Look at the look in the eyes of the champion.
>> Here she comes.
This is the Ronda Rousey.
Everybody here chase bill pay money to see.
>> [NOISE].
>> And the left by Rousey.
And Banks trying to fight back and does.
>> But notice only left hands.
Wow. There you go.
Rousey female able to use her right hand for the first time in a while.
>> Like Adrenaline's taking over now.
>> There's not much behind it.
>> Now they're right by Rousey,
driving Banks back to the corner slings her over again.
Trying to get some family back at her right arm, Banks spot the champion.
Knee connects.
>> And Ronda connects, as well, to retain the title here at the Royal Rumble.
And Sasha, near fall for the champion Rousey.
>> [NOISE] >> This has been an intense
physical match up.
>> I don't think anybody in the WWE Universe expected anything less.
Especially with all the the trash talking that's been going on in recent weeks.
>> I think all week the entire WWE Universe has been banking on this
match up.
For all of tonight, I've been dying to get my eyes on these two women.
>> Sasha Banks, defeating Nia Jax to earn this opportunity tonight,
Rousey back to her feet first.
[NOISE] >> Rousey looking for a gut wrench.
Banks drops to her knees trying to avoid.
And Rousey sent into the turnbuckle hard.
[NOISE] And again Sasha, you made the point Corey is right and went for
the gut wrench right down to the knees again the experience of Banks.
>> Right back to the injured arm.
Sasha Banks has found her target, and is exploiting it.
[NOISE] Sasha Banks seems to get more and
more confident seemingly as this match progresses.
>> She looked for the backstabber.
And Ronda Rousey now looking for the arm bar.
She's got Sasha right where she wants her, but Sasha able to counter and slip out.
>> Maybe the bad arm by Ronda did not allow her to put the arm bar on Banks.
Rousey again.
Counter by Sasha.
Cover to win the championship, and a kick out of two, and
out of the Banks [INAUDIBLE] for Sasha Banks.
>> In the middle of the ring.
>> Rowdy Ronda Rousey is in trouble.
>> Banks is locked in.
>> Rousey has nowhere to go.
>> I think fatigue is really setting in here.
>> Hey. >> Sasha Banks and it's illegal.
>> The officials there he realizes that now Banks right back to the hole again.
Rousey trying to drag herself to the bottom, somehow for subprime.
And Banks again utilize the part of her attire to her advantage.
>> Could be fatigue, it could be exhaustion, it could be frustration, but
Sasha Banks cannot fully lock in the Bank statement.
Well, Ronda Rousey countering as well.
Fingertips away, dragged back to the center of the ring.
Shoulders are down.
>> Sasha Banks is cutting.
>> Fujiwara armbar.
Banks has her hips up off the mat.
An incredible amount of pressure on Ronda Rousey.
>> Can you imagine if Rousey taps to the arm bar here, middle of the ring?
>> Rousey writhing in agony.
>> This could be the first time in her career that Ronda Rousey taps out.
>> And look at Banks manipulating the fingers and
the joints of Rousey with the arm bar locked in.
Rousey trying to fight back to her feet.
Ronda Rousey able to counter momentarily.
>> Rousey could be the recipient of a broken arm for the first time.
>> And there's the gut wrench by Rousey slamming Banks.
>> To the mat.
Rousey rolling through with Banks at her shoulder again powers up the boss.
Piper's pen.
Here's the cover.
Rousey has pinned back to retain the title.
Here's your winner and still the RAW winning
Women's Champion, Rowdy Ronda Rousey >> Rousey
with a pin of fall victory Corey and that is very telling.
Ronda Rousey wheelhouse is generally the submission.
We know she's known for the arm bar, the master of the arm bar submission.
But tonight Rousey had to dig a little bit deeper into her bag of tricks.
After a grueling back and forth battle with a very game Sasha Banks.
But Rousey was finally able to solve the boss [NOISE] a very physical
match up tonight, but Ronda Rousey ever the warrior.
My first pet into the cover,
Rousey retains the RAW Women's Championship.
[MUSIC]
Everything we expected here tonight between these two superstars.
[MUSIC]
They both gave it everything they had.
And you know how important that this match up was for Ronda Rousey.
She hand picked Sasha Banks despite the fact that Sasha had to earn this match
with a victory over Nia Jax.
Rousey said she wanted to face Sasha Banks here at the Rumble tonight because of
everything that Sasha has helped do in the Women's Division in WWE.
[MUSIC]
>> Tough moment for the Boss.
You gotta give her credit, that respect between her and
Ronda Rousey clearly evident now.
>> Sasha Banks, bitter disappointment.
>> Yeah, >> I think Sasha Banks has been a pretty
poor loser her entire life, she was again tonight.
>> But people can say that about Rousey too, but.
>> Is Sasha Banks gonna cry, I mean, come on, is that what being a Boss is about,
crocodile tears.
>> You're saying you've never seen Ronda Rousey cry after a match?
>> I haven't seen Ronda Rousey lose a match,
she's still the Raw Women's Champion.
[MUSIC]
Very emotional night for
Ronda Rousey as she celebrates with her husband here at ringside.
[MUSIC]
>> Ronda proved something tonight, Corey.
>> What, what was that?
>> Ronda Rousey?
>> Yeah, you said she proved something.
And I said what was that?
>> Well, she did, but I wanna enjoy this moment before I explain myself.
[MUSIC]
>> [APPLAUSE] >> Well, not quite the way
I expected that to go.
>> See, maybe this isn't over.
I call that no quit in Sasha Banks, that's what I see.
>> I call that a born loser, a sore loser.
Ronda Rousey came back to shake hands with Sasha Banks.
>> Sasha Banks throughout the four Women symbol.
[MUSIC]
[NOISE] Ronda Rousey is still the Raw Women's Champion.
[MUSIC]