After capturing the Raw Women’s Championship, The Nightmare absorbs her monumental victory backstage with Ash Costello and company.
We go back to the stage and Ash Costello is introduced with a band. She performs “Brutality” as Rhea Ripley makes her entrance to a pop and some pyro. Out next comes RAW Women’s Champion Asuka to a pop. She hits the ring and poses in the corner as more pyro goes off around the stadium. We get formal ring introductions from Rome now. Joe, Saxton and Cole are back for this one.
The bell rings and they have words as they size each other up. Ripley charges but misses and Asuka dropkicks her but Ripley is still standing. They trade strikes and Asuka kicks her. Asuka rolls Ripley for a 2 count. Asuka with a backslide and a dropkick to send Ripley into the corner. Asuka misses a Hip Attack in the corner. Ripley runs into boots in the corner.
Ripley chops Asuka down in the corner and charges but Asuka sends her face-first into the turnbuckles, then kicks her. Ripley goes to the floor for a breather as the referee counts. They both are on the floor now. Asuka with a big knee to the face. Asuka brings it back in and stalks Ripley. Asuka with kicks to the back now. Ripley dodges another Hip Attack and levels Asuka with a kick. Ripley slams Asuka face-first for a 2 count in the middle of the ring.
Ripley mounts Asuka with strikes on the mat now. Ripley with a body scissors to keep control. Fans do dueling chants. Ripley smacks Asuka around now, disrespecting her for louder boos. Asuka tries to fight out of another body scissors but Ripley keeps it locked. They get up and Ripley kicks Asuka around some more while taunting her. Ripley with another slap and a clothesline, and another clothesline to put Asuka right back down. Asuka catches a kick and takes Ripley down into an ankle lock.
Ripley screams out as Asuka tightens the hold. Ripley powers up and turns the hold into a big German suplex, dumping Asuka on her head. Asuka kicks out right before the 3 count. Ripley takes it to the corner and slams Asuka face-first into the turnbuckle a few times. Asuka goes down with another turnbuckle shot. Ripley continues to take her time in punishing the champ. Ripley with shoulder thrusts to the lower back now as the referee warns her.
Ripley places Asuka on the top turnbuckle and clubs her in the back. Ripley climbs up for the super back suplex but Asuka resists, knocking Ripley back to the mat. Asuka turns around on the top and hits a missile dropkick for a pop. Ripley runs into a kick. Asuka with a big German suplex. Asuka with a Hip Attack in the corner. Ripley fights off a German attempt but Asuka keeps fighting. Asuka stuns Ripley to her knees with a big strike. Asuka with the Hip Attack to knock Ripley down from her knees for a close 2 count.
Asuka shows some frustration now before she goes to the top. Ripley runs and dropkicks Asuka, knocking her from the top turnbuckle to the floor, hitting the apron on the way down. The referee counts but Asuka returns to the apron. Ripley approaches but Asuka knocks her to the floor. Asuka goes for a kick from the apron but Ripley catches her on her shoulders, then slams her face-first into the edge of the apron. The referee counts but Ripley brings it back in. They trade shots on the apron now as the referee counts. Asuka with a huge DDT from the apron to the floor for a pop.
Asuka makes it back in 6 and Ripley is right after. Asuka nails a running knee for a 2 count. Asuka unloads with quick kicks to the head. Asuka with a sliding knee but Ripley catches it. Ripley stomps away after a takedown. Ripley with the inverted Cloverleaf submission. Asuka tries to break it but Ripley holds on. Asuka turns it into an armbar on the mat. Ripley fights and powers up, slinging Asuka into the bottom turnbuckle to break the hold. Ripley goes on and hits a big suplex from the apron into the ring for another close 2 count.
Asuka fights Ripley off from behind, then takes her down into an armbar. Ripley fights out into a 2 count. Asuka goes right into the Asuka Lock but it’s countered. Asuka with kicks while Ripley is on her knees now. Ripley tells her to bring it again, taunting her. Asuka kicks again and tries for the running boot. Ripley ducks it and nails Riptide in the middle of the ring for the pin to win the title.
Winner and New RAW Women’s Champion: Rhea Ripley
Rhea Ripley is going to party with the WWE Universe before she steps into the ring to challenge Asuka for the Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania.
The Nightmare will be hosting the first-ever WWE Watch Party exclusively on TikTok Thursday, April 8 at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. During this live event, Ripley will share insights and stories while re-watching her NXT Women’s Title defense against Bianca Belair from NXT TakeOver: Portland. She will also interact with the WWE Universe, taking questions and comments from the live chat on TikTok.
To join the WWE Watch Party with Rhea, visit WWE’s official TikTok profile Thursday, April 8 at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and cue up Rhea’s match against Bianca Belair from NXT TakeOver: Portland on Peacock in the U.S. and WWE Network elsewhere. Follow The Nightmare’s lead from there, and hit play when she tells you — or else.
Believe us, this is one party you don’t want to miss
SOURCE: WWE.COM
We start the match with Asuka and Baszler locking-up. Baszler takes the wrist but Asuka turns the tables and goes to a headlock. Asuka hits a shoulder tackle and then they shove each other a few times. Asuka hits another shoulder and Shayna falls. Asuka stomps her face a few times, then looks to tag Ripley but she shakes her head. Baszler punches Shayna, then Rhea tags herself in.
Baszler takes Ripley’s back but the Nightmare turns it around and hits a body slam, throwing Shayna across the ring! Jax tags in and comes face-to-face with Ripley and shoves her. Rhea fires back and they trade shots, then Ripley randomly tags Asuka in and climbs out. Jax grabs Asuka but the Champ slides off and kicks her in the gut. Asuka goes to a Black Widow submission but Asuka gets distracted with Rhea and thrown off.
Jax drops Asuka with a body attack, then forces her to the corner for a splash. Nia looks for another but Asuka avoids it and connects with a Codebreaker. Asuka tags Ripley in and she comes in against Shayna and goes to work. Reggie gets on the apron to distract Ripley and it works, allowing Shayna to hit a chop block. Jax tags herself in and drags Rhea under the bottom rope and slams her into the apron.
Back live and Shayna viciously stomps on Ripley’s ankle. Shayna forces her to the corner and tags Jax for a body slam and an elbow drop. Jax tags Baszler again and she beats her in the corner with hooks, then hits a snapmare and a kick to the back. Baszler goes to a heel hook to continue targeting the ankle. Shayna drops some elbows on the leg, then tags Jax but Rhea is able to drop her and crawl to Asuka.
The Empress tags in against Baszler and comes in hot. Asuka runs over Shayna and goes to the top rope but Ripley punches her off! Rhea Ripley grabs Asuka from behind and lifts her up, then slams her down face-first. Ripley puts Asuka back in the ring and Baszler hits a running knee for the win!
Rhea Ripley smiles and shouts at Asuka from ringside, saying she’s more than ready. This is her division now.
WINNERS: NIA JAX & SHAYNA BASZLER
Rhea Ripley was shown talking to a man backstage while Phillips hyped the contract signing for after the break.
Adam Pearce hosted the contract signing for the Raw Women’s Championship match at WrestleMania. He introduced Rhea Ripley followed by champion Asuka. Ripley said Asuka should be labeled as the “current” champion. Asuka laughed and said she’s the champion and Ripley is overconfident.
Ripley said she was confident enough to challenge Asuka on her first night, and is now confident enough to tell her that she will beat her and take her championship. Ripley signed the contract, then Asuka did the same. Asuka spoke in Japanese, then said Ripley’s confidence is borrowed, not earned. Asuka kept jawing at Ripley, who got upset and dumped the table on her.
Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler, and Reginald walked out and spoke from the stage. Jax said she doesn’t know what’s worse, Ripley having the audacity to challenge for the title on her first night or Asuka accepting. Baszler said she and Jax have dominated the entire division for nearly a year and questioned where their WrestleMania match is. Baszler threatened Ripley, who asked what was stopping her. Jax challenged Asuka and Ripley to step in the ring with them next week. “We accept,” Ripley said before tossing the mic aside
After the match, Rhea Ripley made her entrance and entered the ring. Ripley said Asuka is one of the greatest women’s champions in history and has proven her point. Ripley recalled Charlotte Flair challenging Asuka for the championship while Asuka was recovering from having her teeth knocked out.
Ripley said Flair wasn’t there because she was recovering from COVID. Ripley said she would need an answer. She challenged Asuka to a championship match at WrestleMania. Asuka took the mic and yelled in Japanese, then said, “You are not ready for Asuka.” Asuka accepted the challenge to a WrestleMania match
This is her brutality, and it has a new home on Monday Night Raw.
Over the last several weeks, the WWE Universe and the Raw Women’s Division have been warned, and this Monday, “The Nightmare” Rhea Ripley will finally arrive on Raw.
Will Ripley be looking to put the red brand on notice right off the bat?
Find out this Monday on Raw live at 8/7 C on USA Network!
Source: WWE.com
Rhea Ripley opens up to Samoa Joe about who inspired her to be tough and achieve her dreams, dressing up as Rey Mysterio and more, on WWE Grit & Glory, presented by Chevrolet Silverado.
As noted on Monday Night RAW this week, Rhea Ripley will be coming soon to RAW, who do you think will be her first feud??
Rhea Ripley and Raquel Gonzalez headed straight to the outside to fight. The Nightmare handcuffed her opponent to the chain-link fence only for Gonzalez to break off the chain. Gonzalez blasted Ripley with the ring bell then attempted to bury her under the announce table and chairs.
The brutality from Gonzalez continued. She booted Ripley down the steps into the backstage area. The Nightmare responded by shattering a glass door with her opponent’s back. Ripley followed up with a senton bomb off a locker through a table on her rival.
Dakota Kai ran in to save her friend only to get brutalized in a locker by The Nightmare before Ripley trapped her. The Nightmare trapped Gonzalez in the Prism Trap, adding in a steel chair. When Gonzalez worked her way out of it, she and Ripley ran hard into the LED board on the stage.
Neither woman looked ready to stop until Gonzalez grabbed Ripley and single-arm powerbombed The Nightmare through the stage. The heel was the only one to be able to stand back up.
Result
Gonzalez def. Ripley by 10-count.