Rhea Ripley

Birthname

Demi Bennett

Birthdate

1996-10-11

Birthplace

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Notable Allies

Array

Notable Rivals

Array

Current Promotion

Array

Height

5 feet 9 inches

Weight

170 lbs

Debut

2013-06-29

Championships Held

Raw Women's Championship, WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, NXT Women's Championship, NXT UK Women's Championship, WWE Smackdown Women's Championship

Finisher

Riptide

Twitter

Instagram

Eye Color

Blue

Hair Color

Black

Quick Links

• Belair Isn't Going to Drop Her Title So Quickly, Is She?

• A Belair-Lynch Rematch on the Horizon?

• A Marquee Loss for Ripley Doesn't Help The Judgment Day

• Ripley Could Always Win the Women's MitB Ladder Match

This past Monday saw a new number one contender crowned in the chase for Bianca Belair’s Raw Women’s Championship, and on July 2, The Judgment Day’s Rhea Ripley will take on the EST of WWE in what cannot be described in any other way than a highly-anticipated contest.

That’s the good news. So, what’s the bad?

Well, up until now, WWE have done an excellent and intelligent job of keeping the two powerhouses of the women’s division apart. Whether it’s been Belair and Ripley winning the SmackDown and Raw Women’s Championship, respectively, at WrestleMania 37, or being the final two in the Royal Rumble back in 2021 (with Belair winning)—not to mention their clashes down in NXT—WWE has done their best to tease a future match-up between the two while not having them face off one-on-one as part of the main roster.

RELATED: Rhea Ripley Vs Bianca Belair Will Be WWE’s Biggest Women’s Rivalry

It feels as though that for a while now, these two have been destined to clash with a championship on the line. So, despite all of that, why does it feel like a letdown that we’re finally getting this match? The answer is a simple one: Money in the Bank is just not a big enough event for a match of this caliber.

Plus on paper, for a number of reasons, its outcome already looks like a foregone conclusion.

Belair Isn't Going to Drop Her Title So Quickly, Is She?

This feels like as easy of a “No” as one could conjure, but I am willing to be proven wrong. Even with Damian Priest and Finn Bálor of The Judgment Day likely to be in Ripley’s corner for this one, it’s incredibly difficult to see Belair leaving Money in the Bank without her title. Not after all she’s gone through to win it back.

Surely there will be some shenanigans afoot. Just don’t expect them to work. Because...

A Belair-Lynch Rematch on the Horizon?

If anybody out there feels loved as much as WWE loves a rematch, hold onto that. It’s special. As it pertains to wrestling, however, rematch after rematch will often start having the opposite effect. After losing her title in 26 seconds to Becky Lynch at last year’s SummerSlam, Belair worked herself all the way back to ultimately prevail over Big Time Becks at WrestleMania 38.

The story could’ve ended there, but Lynch got herself into what ended up becoming a triple threat match between Belair, Lynch, and Asuka at Hell In a Cell. Again, Belair prevailed. Again, the story could’ve ended there.

RELATED: Bianca Belair Claims She Grew Tremendously Working With Becky Lynch

Alas, this is not the WWE way, and Dave Meltzer via Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Sportskeeda Wrestling) believes yet another match between the two will take place at SummerSlam. You know, the type of event the first-ever main roster title match between Ripley and Belair should take place at.

A Marquee Loss for Ripley Doesn't Help The Judgment Day

Ripley losing to Belair in and of itself is not an issue. Heck, anybody losing to Belair is not an issue. She’s the Raw Women’s Champion for a reason. She’s the face of the women’s division for a reason and as formidable as they come.

But with The Judgment Day set out to prove that they are stronger than ever, now without their former leader Edge, it seems a little silly to have Ripley lose such a big match so quickly. Then again, silly has never stopped rushed or arguably poor booking.

Yet, even with a loss, would all hope be lost for The Eradicator? Perhaps not. After all, this is Money in the Bank we’re talking about. Which means...

Ripley Could Always Win the Women's MitB Ladder Match

Now sure, a loss for Ripley when July 2 rolls around is very much on the cards. But who’s to say that’s going to stop her from making her presence known in the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match anyway? As I said earlier, shenanigans will be afoot. And while those may not work during her match, it’s easy to see Ripley taking out any woman she deems in her way of the Raw Women’s Championship.

RELATED: 10 Money In The Bank Ladder Matches Where The Wrong Person Won

Looking at you, Liv. Probably.

In the meantime, we’re going to get what should be a treat of a match between Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair sooner than later. Too soon? Maybe not. And yet, while there will still be plenty of story left to tell between these two superstars no matter how it concludes, their first title bout on the main roster deserves better, and bigger.