This week’s edition of Monday Night RAW saw one of WWE’s greatest characters return. Rhea Ripley – who was forced to relinquish her Women’s World Championship after a 380-day reign due to injury – emerged to deafening cheers. Even as a supposed heel, the WWE Universe loves her.
Ripley’s long-running storyline with Domink Mysterio and her powerful presence within the Judgment Day faction has elevated her to levels she’s never achieved before. Always a crowd favorite, she had some frustrating years despite winning a few titles.
Now? ‘Mami’ has returned to confront Dominik and take her title back from her nemesis, Liv Morgan. Along the way, she will (no doubt)get huge reactions from the audience.
One thing’s for sure. No matter where this story goes from here, it will be entertaining because Rhea Ripley will be at the center of it all. She has captured our imaginations and is the biggest star in women’s wrestling today.
Rhea Ripley Received a Well-Deserved Ovation on RAW
trust me on this one, this rhea ripley and liv morgan story will be one of the best women’s fueds in wwe history, i don’t think anyone’s prepared #WWERAW pic.twitter.com/BfYOK3Fbjq
— 𝓙𝓸𝓱𝓷 (@TwistedJohnX) July 9, 2024
Ripley, 27, began her wrestling career in 2013 and, within four years, had already caught the attention of WWE. She fared well in the 2017 Mae Young Classic, although her signature gothic look and ruthless ring tactics hadn’t yet become part of her presentation. However, her technical abilities were impressive enough for her to receive an offer from the company. She would wrestle on the now-defunct NXT UK brand, becoming its first-ever women’s champion.
By the time she navigated through the system to make it to WWE, the fans were fully aware of her potential. And once she found her mojo? It was just a matter of time before she became a featured player on the promotion’s programming.
And while she’s always been fairly successful during her time on the main roster, it always seemed like something was missing. But those kinks and glitches have gone away now. Over time, Rhea Ripley evolved her character, and now, she’s a proven performer and one of the most marketable wrestlers in WWE today.
The fans have rallied behind her, and it seems like 2024 will be the year she takes things to galactic proportions. The crowd knows it, too. They can sense that she’s about to become a babyface, and they’re just waiting for it to happen. A singular moment where she rises above Dom and Judgment Day and goes on her own.
She has Surpassed All of Her Peers
Rhea Ripley’s return hit 1M views on WWE’s YouTube in just 9 hours pic.twitter.com/vEnP15kucZ
— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) July 9, 2024
Standing atop a WWE Women’s division that had long been dominated by Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch, Rhea Ripley is the top female in the company. And while she may be an unlikely pick to be the promotion’s ‘franchise player’, there’s no doubt that she has passed up all of her contemporaries – even The Queen and the Man. Their sporadic periods off television left the door cracked open. Ripley kicked it in, sat down, and put her feet on the coffee table.
And when her inevitable and upcoming face turn happens? She will be an even bigger star than she is right now. The people are already cheering for her, but making her a cutting-edge hero would be the final step in her long and winding journey.
But no matter what side of the storyline she’s on, there’s no doubt that Rhea Ripley has broken through the so-called ‘glass ceiling’ and become a major star. It will be interesting to see where this wave of popularity takes her next.
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Ryan K Boman is the author of the 2023 book, Pop Music & Peanut Butter: A Collection of Essays about Embracing Life with Laughter & Love. His previous work has appeared at The Miami Herald, SB Nation, Bounding into Sports, and Yardbarker. Follow him on social media @RyanKBoman.
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