Former pornography actress Mia Khalifa made headlines recently after she criticized Ronda Rousey on her potential move from the UFC to the WWE. Khalifa revealed that she’s not a big fan of the wrestling industry because it’s not a real sport. For those who do not know, Khalifa is making a name for herself in the sports world as a host and analyst.
In her YouTube show Out of Bounds last week (h/t Maxim), Khalifa went off on the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion for choosing the WWE as her next move. She said that Rousey’s career will die if she joins the WWE because it’s not a real sport. Khalifa even called it an embarrassing move but wrestling fans wasted no time in blasting her on social media.
Former WWE superstar Shane Helms, more famously known as The Hurricane, had the best comeback of them all. Helms poked fun at Khalifa’s former occupation as a pornography actress, and it was understandable that wrestling fans were upset because they are one of the most passionate fanbases in the world.
So which former WWE superstar defended the honor of professional wrestling from Khalifa and her misinformed perception of the industry? Well, it’s former WWE superstar Eva Marie.
In the recent episode of her YouTube show (h/t Pop Culture) Mia Khalifa invited Eva Marie wherein they discussed a variety of topics, including the WWE. Khalifa stood by her comments but Marie went on the defense as she debated that the WWE is a sport. Eva explained that wrestling is not a simple profession because of the bumps and rigors of travel.
“You have to put your body through a lot of physicality with wrestling. Like you’re saying, you think it’s fake, however when you get in the ring you’re really taking those bumps, you’re really taking a clothesline. You really get thrown out of the ring… It is a sport. You know how your whole preception will change is if we get in a ring and you train for four weeks.”
It’s surprising to see that Eva Marie, of all people, defended the WWE. She was one of the most hated WWE superstars of all time because of her lack of dedication. However, it showed that wrestling has a special place in her heart. On the other hand, Khalifa is open to changing her view on professional wrestling. She has been invited to a wrestling event and she could be going to learn more about the sport.
Eva Marie spent four years with the WWE but she never won a single championship. Marie was primarily used in Total Divas and she barely had time to wrestle. She was set for a huge push last year, but she got suspended for violating the WWE Wellness Policy. Eva eventually moved on from the WWE and began her own fashion company. She was released from her WWE contract in August, and she is set to appear on a couple of movies next year.