The main event of WWE Raw was going to set the stage for WrestleMania 41, as Rhea Ripley defended her Women’s World Championship against Damage CTRL’s Iyo Sky. Whoever won would face Bianca Belair at WrestleMania, who secured her spot at Elimination Chamber, and Belair was sitting at commentary to find out who her opponent would be. The match almost ended several times in Ripley’s favor, but Sky would come roaring back and target the arm of the Champion. Then Belair and Ripley would collide for a bit outside the ring, leading to a sequence where Sky countered Ripley and took her down, becoming the new Women’s World Champion and earning her spot at WrestleMania in a win that shocked everyone.
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Ripley and Sky know each other extremely well, represented by the fact that there were a host of counters early in the match. Sky got the first momentum switch with a kick to the side of Ripley’s head, but Ripley avoided a 619 from Sky and slammed her into the ring apron before suplexing Sky onto the concrete floor.
Sky got back on track once they returned to the ring, but Ripley dodged the bullet train attack and cut that off. Sky countered Ripley and delivered a stomp and a cover attempt, but Ripley was able to kick out. Ripley recovered but Sky found a weakness, targeting the arm of Ripley and focusing her attacks.
Ripley then clocked Sky with a boot to the face, but Sky was able to kick out of the cover. Sky then hit the Kairi Sane elbow drop and went for the cover, but Ripley kicked out, only for Sky to go for the Asuka Lock in another homage to her Damage CTRL teammates. Ripley fought out of it but got hit with the Bullet Train Attack, though Ripley caught Sky on the turnbuckle.
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Ripley set up Sky and slammed her down from the top rope into a cover, but Sky kicked out. Then Ripley got slammed down and Sky hit the moonsault into cover, but Ripley got her foot on the bottom rope. Ripley caught Sky’s next attack and then slammed her face-first onto the announce table.
Ripley and Belair ended up getting into a scuffle by the desk and it continued once Ripley got back into the ring. Ripley then went for the riptide up top but Sky reversed it into a top rope hurricanrana. Then Sky hit the moonsault on Ripley and got the pin, defeating Ripley and becoming the new Women’s World Champion. That also means that Sky will be facing Belair at WrestleMania, which is a showdown that no one expected.
What did you think of the match and the winner? Let us know in the comments and you can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!
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Star Wars. Courtesy of Disney
