Ronda Rousey Says Paul Heyman Was One The Few People Who Encouraged Her Creatively in WWE

-- Former WWE champion Ronda Rousey spoke to Sports Illustrated in a new interview where she praised Paul Heyman as being one of the few people in the company who encouraged her creatively. Rousey, who seems to have moved onto a career in writing and doesn't have many friends in WWE, didn't work directly with Heyman on camera but revealed that the WWE Hall of Famer produced her segments during her first year while also working with her on her promos and delivery.

"He's one of the few people who really encouraged me creatively. He showed me I'm so much more than just what my body can do. That's how so many people see me–as an athlete, as a fighter. It's all about performing, being on camera, focusing on what I can do physically–but it was different with Paul."

"It was Paul Heyman who said, 'What do you want your movie to be?' Paul produced my segments during the second half of my first year in WWE, and he really worked with me on being able to write my own promos and deliver them. I'd wrote before, two memoirs, but not creatively–he encouraged me to create outside of myself. Paul was my first mentor as a writer, and he saw that in me."